DIDELPHYS DERBIANUS. 97 



DERBY'S OPOSSUM. 



Didelphj/s Derhianus. 

 Plate IL* 



Didelphys Derbianus, Waterh. 



Description. — Body stout^ tail considerably longer 

 tlian the head and body taken together ; the hairy 

 portion of great extent ; fur woolly and glossy ; ge- 

 neral colour bright rusty-brown ; under parts dirty 

 white ; upper surface of head brownish grey^ with a 

 longitudinal narrow dusky stripe extending back- 

 wards in the mesial line from the top of the muzzle, 

 and terminating between the ears; on either side, 

 and near this central line, the fur is of a grey colour ; 

 the region of the eye brown ; on the back is a silvery 

 grey stripe, which commences between the shoulders 

 and terminates about the middle of the back; the 

 fore part of the hinder legs is also silvery grey, and 

 a stripe of the same tint runs backwards from the 

 knee : the fore legs are white : the feet are pale, 

 and appear to have been flesh coloured, the fore-feet 

 are furnished with white hairs, the hinder-feet are 

 sooty black : The woolly fur on the base of the tail 

 is brownish, pale on the under side ; the naked 

 portion of the tail is pale, clouded with dark brown 

 towards the hairy portion, and with large dark spots 

 beyond : the ears (in the stuffed animal) are of a 

 dirty white colour. 



Length from nose to root of tail, 13 inches 6 lines ; 



G 



