DIDELPHYS VIRGINIANA. 81 



South America, — these species havebeen long known, 

 but although there are specimens in most museums, 

 their distinctive characters were never clearly pointed 

 out, until M. Temminck's monograph* made its ap- 

 pearance. The D. Calif ornicus, and D. hreviceps^ 

 described by Mr. Bennett in the Proceedings of the 

 Zoological Society, also belong to this section. 



The Z). Virginiana inhabits North America, and, 

 according to M. Temminck, is found from Mexico 

 to the southern provinces of the United States. 

 Pennant says it "inhabits Virginia, Louisiana, Mexico, 

 Brazil, and Peru ; I strongly suspect, however, its 

 range is much more restricted." Pennant has un- 

 doubtedly confounded the T>. cancrivora, and, per- 

 haps, also the D. Azarce, with our present animal, 

 wdien he states that it is found in Brazil. In the 

 collections received from California, by the Zoological 

 Society, there were no specimens of the Virginian 

 Opossum, but there w^ere the two new species de- 

 scribed by Mr. Bennett, — may not one, or perhaps 

 both, of these also occur in Mexico, and have been 

 confounded with the D. Virginiana ? 



Following is Pennant's account of the habits of 

 the Virginian Opossum, with some slight additions 

 and alterations. This animal is very destructive to 

 poultry, and sucks the blood without eating the flesh : 

 feeds also on roots and wild fruits ; is very active 

 in climbing trees ; will hang suspended from the 

 branches by its tail, and by swinging its body. 



* " Monogrfiphies de Mammalogie," vol. i. 

 F 



