492 VIVEREINE OPOSSUM. 



with a brown one of the same size, and differing 

 only in colour. The brown variety is that which 

 Mr. Hunter, in the publication before referred 

 to, has very accurately described. 



" This animal (says Mr. H.) is of the size of 

 a rat, and has very much the appearance of the 

 Martin Cat, but hardly so long in the body in 

 proportion to its size. 



" The head is flat forwards, and broad from 

 side to side, especially between the eyes and ears ; 

 the nose is peaked, and projecting beyond the 

 teeth, which makes the upper jaw appear to be 

 considerably longer than the lower : the eyes are 

 pretty large; the ears broad, especially at their 

 base, not becoming regularly narrower to a point, 

 nor with a very smooth edge, and having a 

 small process on the concave, or inner surface, 

 near to the base. It has long whiskers from 

 the sides of the cheeks, which begin forwards near 

 the nose, by small and short hairs, and become 

 longer and stronger as they approach the eyes. 

 It has very much the air of a rat, to which it 

 is similar in colour ; but near to the setting on of 

 the tail it is of a lighter brown, forming a broad 

 ring: round it. The fore feet are shorter than the 



o 



hind, but much in the same proportion as those 

 of the rat; the hind feet are more flexible. There 

 are five toes on the fore feet, the middle the 

 largest, falling off on each side nearly equally; 

 but the fore or inner toe is rather shortest : they 

 are thin from side to side, the nails are pretty 

 broad laterally, and thin at their base; not very 



