108 THE OPOSSUMS. 



mouse (Mus musculus.) Head much pointed, ears 

 rather small, tail short : colour deep rich brown ; 

 beneath, yellowish-brown ; three' longitudinal black 

 stripes on the back ; the central stripe is the broad- 

 est, commences between the eyes and extends to the 

 root of the tail ; the lateral lines commence a little 

 behind the ear, and also terminate at the root of the 

 tail : the top of the muzzle is almost black ; a deep 

 rich yellow tint prevails on the cheeks, and over the 

 haunches and hinder legs, there is a deep rusty brown 

 hue : the feet are dark brown, and so are the ears, 

 which are almost naked : the tail is furnished with 

 minute hairs and exhibits scales, it is black above 

 and brown beneath ; a small space beneath, at the 

 apex, of about one line in length, is naked. The fur 

 is very short and adpressed ; the hairs, both on the 

 upper and under side of the body, are greyish at the 

 base : the claws of the fore-feet are rather strong, and 

 adapted for burrowing. 



Length from nose to root of tail, 4 inches 3 lines ; 

 tail, 2 inches 1 line ; from tip of muzzle to base of 

 ear, 1 inch and a half line ; ear, 3 lines ; tarsus, 

 (claws included) 8| lines. 



Observations. — This pretty little opossum appears 

 to be rare in collections, for M. Temminck, never 

 having seen one, did not admit it in his Monograph. 

 It was mistaken for a shrew by many of the older 

 authors, being the So7'ex Braziliensis of Erxleben 

 and some others — and the Brazilian shrew of Pen- 

 nant. The specimen before me, the mouth being 

 wide open, enables me to examine the dentition, which 



