DIDELPHYS OPOSSUM. 93 



inches 3 lines, (sometimes rather more ;) of tail, 9 

 inches 2 lines. From nose to eye, 1 inch 1 line ; 

 of hairy portion of tail 2 inches 2 lines. Size, larger 

 than the European squirrel ; tail rather shorter than 

 the head and body taken together, or about equal in 

 length ; the hairy portion considerably extended, the 

 naked portion covered with scales ; fur fine and silky, 

 and not abundant ; muzzle much pointed ; upper sur- 

 face of the head straight. The fur on all the upper 

 parts of the body, and of the hairy portion of the tail, of 

 a rusty red, or cinnamon colour, brighter in the males 

 than in the females : this colour predominates also on 

 the head and beneath the eyes, but it blends into 

 whitish near the angle of the mouth ; the rusty 

 tint is less pure on the under part of the limbs : 

 above the eye there is a great white spot,* and 

 behind the ear there is a similar spot ; the lower 

 part of the cheeks, the inner side of the limbs, and all 

 the under parts of the body, are of a yellowish white 

 colour ; the eye is encircled by rust coloured hairs ; 

 the vertex of the head is always of a deeper hue than 

 the prevailing colour ; the naked portion of the tail 

 is brown, excepting at the apex, where it is white. 



The females are always larger than the males — 

 they are provided with a pouch. 



This species is found throughout Guiana, and 

 appears to be common in Surinam ; and Temminck 



* These two -white spots above the eyes, have given rise to 

 the name " Quatre-csU,'''' which has been applied, by the French 

 naturalists, to this species. The D. Quica and D. nudicau- 

 data possess the same character. 



