BIDELPHYS TRICOLOR. 109 



does not differ from other opossums — tlie canines are 

 rather small. It certainly bears a great resemblance 

 to a shrew, and no doubt, like many other small opos- 

 sums, feeds upon insects, and judging from its claws, 

 I should imagine it was a good burrower. 



These small insectivorous opossums being common 

 in S. America, accounts for there being no species of 

 the order Insectitora. No shrews or hedgehogs have 

 yet been found in that part of the world, — they are 

 in fact replaced by these small opossums. 



TRICOLORED OPOSSUM. 



Didelphys tricolor. 

 Didelphys tricolor, Geqf. Catal. des Mamm. p. 144, sp. 7. 



Description. — Top of the head and whole upper 

 surface of the body nearly uniform black, the hairs, 

 however, are obscurely annulated with greyish-white, 

 which produces a somewhat grizzled appearance ; 

 chin, throat, sides of the head, (extending a little 

 above the eye) the sides of the body, tail, and outer 

 side of the limbs deep rich rusty-red _; chest and 

 under parts of the body white, with a faint yellowish 

 tint. Fur short and adpressed. Fur, like that of the 

 body, extends about 1^ inches on the tail. Feet 

 black ; the tarsi obscurely grizzled with rust colour ; 

 ears naked. The tail is short and very thick at the 

 base. The head is large. 



Length from nose to root of tail, 5 inches 6 lines ; 

 from nose to ear, 1 inch 2| lines ; of tail, 2 inches 



