Marsupials and Monotremes 



379 



in number, on their 

 backs, are denizens 

 of tropical South 

 America. One of 

 these, named the 

 PHILANDER OPOSSUM, 

 attains to the some- 

 what larger size of 

 about 2 feet in total 

 length, the long 

 prehensile tail 

 representing, how- 

 ever, the greater 

 moiety of these 

 dimensions. 



THE SELVA. 



South America 

 has one other mar- 

 supial the SELVA 

 an animal which, 

 while possessing the 

 dimensions and 

 much of the aspect 

 of an ordinary rat, 

 is remarkable as 

 differing so materi- 

 ally in the character 

 of its teeth and 

 other structural 

 points that it cannot 

 be referred to any 

 existing marsupial 

 family. On the 

 other hand, this type 

 is found to coincide 

 in the above par- 

 ticulars with species 

 hitherto only known 

 in the fossil state, 

 and excavated from 

 the same tertiary 

 deposits in Pata- 

 gonia which have 

 been productive of 

 the distant ally of 

 the Tasmanian wolf. 

 It is yet hoped by 



zoologists that the discovery of other interesting and possibly some supposed extinct mammals 

 may reward the thorough exploration of the vast South American forests. The capture in the 

 flesh of some form allied to the huge ground-sloths, such as the Mylodon and Megatherium, 

 is, however, now considered to be quite beyond the pale of possibility. 



Photo by Dr. R. W. Sliufeldt] 



YOUNG OPOSSUM (NATURAL SIZE). 



This is an interesting photograph , as it is reproduced life-size, and gives an excellent idea of the animal in its 



native land. 



