502 BRUSH-TAILED OPOSSUM. 



or flesh-colour: the tail is of a flattened form, 

 and is beautifully edged on each side with soft, 

 silky hairs. The opening of the abdominal pouch 

 in this species is of a semilunar form : on opening 

 this receptacle in the specimen described in the 

 New Holland Zoology, I discovered, on each 

 side, a young one, large in proportion to the pa- 

 rent animal, and totally destitute of hair: they 

 had, therefore, not approached to the period of 

 their second birth. In such specimens as were 

 not in a pregnant state, the mammae or teats 

 were extremely small, and only four in number. 

 The tongue in this animal is remarkably large 

 and long, and of a flattened form : the hind feet 

 have rounded and unarmed thumbs, and the two 

 interior toes are united under a common skin. I 

 am inclined to think that this little species feeds on 

 insects; and probably on young birds, eggs, &c. 



BRUSH-TAILED OPOSSUM. 



Didelphis Penicillata. JD. cinerea, subtm albida, caudic apice 



villoso nigro. 

 Ash-coloured Opossum, whitish beneath, with the end of the 



tail villose and black. 



THIS species is about the size of the black rat, 

 and of an elegant appearance. The general co- 

 lour is cinereous or deep grey, somewhat darker 

 on the back : the nose is rather sharp : the ears mo- 

 derately large, and of a very slightly pointed form 

 at the tips : the sides of the mouth are furnished 



