THE YAPOCK OPOSSUM. 



499 



the British Museum, where the peculiar attitude of mother and young is wonderfully 

 preserved, when the very minute dimensions of the young Opossums are taken into 

 consideration. 



Many other species of Opossums are in the habit of carrying their young upon their 

 backs, even though they may be furnished with a well developed pouch, but in the 

 pouchless Opossums the young are placed on the back at a very early age, and are 

 retained there for a considerable period. 



It is a very small animal, measuring when adult only six inches from the nose to the 

 root of the tail, the tail itself being more than seven inches in length, thus exceeding 

 the united measurement of the head and body. Its general appearance is much like 

 that of a very large mouse, or a very small rat. 



The fur of Merian's Opossum is very short, and lies closely upon the skin. On the 

 upper portions of the body its color is a pale grayish-brown, fading below into a yellowish 

 white. Round the eyes is a deep brown mark, which extends forwards in front of each 

 eye, and forms a small dark patch. The forehead, the upper part of the head, the 

 cheeks together with the limbs and feet, are of a yellowish-white, tending to gray. 



Towards the base, the tail is clothed with hair of the same texture and color as that 

 of the upper part of the body, but towards its extremity it becomes white. The habits of 

 Merian's Opossum are similar to those of the Virginian and Crab-eating Opossums. 

 Its native country is Surinam. 



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YAPOCK OPOSSUM. Cheiroaectes Yapock. 



LAST, and most singular of this group of animals, is the YAPOCK OPOSSUM, a creature 

 which, abandoning the arboreal life in which its relations so much delight, shifts its 

 residence to the river banks, and passes an existence almost wholly aquatic. 



It is a curious looking animal, and even by the bold markings with which its fur is 

 diversified is easily distinguishable from any other Opossum. Upon the coat of this 

 animal the two contrasting hues of gray and sooty-black are so nearly balanced that it 

 is almost impossible to choose either of them as the ground tint and the other as the 

 accessory. We will, however, consider the lighter hue to form the ground tinting of 

 the fur, and describe the animal accordingly. 



