PYGMY OPOSSUM. 501 



per parts of the fore feet are whitish ; and the 

 lower half of the tail is of a deeper black than the 

 beginning. In the structure of the feet it agrees 

 with other Australian Opossums : the two interior 

 toes of the hind feet being united under one com- 

 mon skin. 



The dried skin of this species was sent over by 

 Mr. White, and the specimen figured in the 

 Zoology of New Holland was described from it. 



PYGMY OPOSSUM. 



Didelphis Pygmaea. D. hypochondriis protixis tolitans, cauda 



piano-pi nttata lineari. 

 Opossum with lateral flying membrane, and flatly.pinnated 



linear tail. New Holland Zoology, No. i. p. 5. 



THIS is by far the most minute of all the Opos- 

 sums, and, from its diminutive size, not exceed- 

 ing that of a common mouse, has been named the 

 Pygmy Opossum. It has been most elegantly 

 figured in the Zoology of New Holland, and the 

 representation here given exhibits the animal in a 

 similar posture. It is furnished on each side the 

 body with an expansile membrane, exactly in 

 the manner of the flying squirrel; by the assist- 

 ance of which it is enabled to spring to a consi- 

 derable distance. The fur on the whole animal 

 is extremely fine : the colour is a soft or palish 

 brown above, and almost white beneath: the 

 edges of the flying membrane are also white : the 

 nose, feet, and ears internally, are of a light pink 



