DIDELPHYS MURIXA. 105 



Length from nose to root of tailj 5 inches 1 1 hnes; 

 of tail, 7 inches 7 lines ; the hairy portion of the tail 

 is ahout 1 inch ; from nose to eye, 7i lines. 



Observations. — This species inhabits Surinam. The 

 females have no pouch, in its place there is a fold 

 of the skin of the belly, which may be regarded as 

 a rudimentary pouch. The young, when sufficiently 

 old to leave the teats to which they are at first 

 attached, are carried by the parent on her back, 

 where they retain their position by means of their 

 prehensile tails, which are entwined round that of 

 the mother. It is this habit of carrying the young 

 on the back, which has given rise to the name dor- 

 sigera ; this name, however, might be applied with as 

 much propriety to several other species, (such as Z). 

 cinerea, murina, tricolor, and hrachyura^ in which 

 there is only a rudimentary pouch. 



MURINE OPOSSUM. 



Didelpliiis murina. 

 Didelphys murina, Temminch. 



Description. — Tail rather longer than the head 

 and body taken together ; the hairy portion of but 

 small extent, the naked portion of an uniform yellow 

 colour. Fur somewhat adpressed and short ; the 

 general tint of the upper parts of the body is rusty 

 or yellowish, but the hairs are deep grey at the base ; 

 the head is yellowish — without any longitudinal dark 

 stripe on the forehead ; a deep brown tint surrounds 



