1902.] Allen, Opossums of the Genus Didelphis. 2J\ 



species is found in the Didelphis paraguayensis of Oken. (Cf. 

 antea, p. 251.) 



Didelphis paraguayensis pernigra (Allen). 



Didelphis azarce TSCHUDI, Fauna Peruana, I, 1844-1846, 143, 151 (part; 



not the description and only part of the references) . 

 Didelphis pernigra ALLEN, Bull. Am. Mus. Nat. Hist. XIII, 191, Oct. 

 23, 1900; Inca Mines, Peru; ibid. 219; ibid. XIV, 1901, 41, 

 176, 186 (measurements). THOMAS, Ann. and Mag. Nat. Hist. 

 (7) VII, Feb. 1901, 190 (southeastern Peru). 



Type locality, Inca Mines, Department of Puno, on the upper 

 Inambari River, southwestern Peru. 



Geographical Distribution. Central and southern Peru, into Bolivia. 

 At the northward represented by a larger form, the D. p. andina. 



Entire upper parts, except the head, intense shining black, the 

 long thick overhair being wholly black, abundant, and not very stiff; 

 basal half of the soft woolly underfur pale yellowish white, the tips 

 black, the white basal portion wholly concealed by the thick, heavy 

 coat of black overhair; head white, with three prominent, sharply 

 defined black bands, one median and two lateral; the median stripe 

 begins in a narrow point and rapidly expands posteriorly to the nape, 

 where it merges with the black of the dorsal surface; the lateral 

 stripe extends from the base of the whiskers to a little behind the 

 eyes and then continues as an ill-defined dusky patch nearly to the 

 ears; cheeks and throat rusty buff; rest of lower surface, except 

 around the abdominal pouch, buffy white, the tips of the longer hairs 

 black, giving a dusky tinge to the ventral surface; ears thickly 

 haired for their basal half, entirely white, in striking contrast with the 

 intense black of the whole upper surface of the body; feet black, the 

 toes seminude; tail black for the basal two thirds of the naked portion, 

 the rest white. 



The young are similar in coloration to the adults. 



Measurements. Seven adults from Inca Mines, Peru, the type 

 locality, seem to indicate very little sexual difference in size; the 

 females average rather larger than the males, which may be due to 

 their being obviously older, as shown by the skulls; yet the same is 

 true of 9 other specimens from other localities as shown in the 

 subjoined tables of measurements (see p. 279). Skull: For measure- 

 ments of the skulls of the specimens from Inca Mines, see this Bulletin, 

 XIV, 1901, p. 186. A series of 6 skulls from other localities agree 

 in proportions, but range rather larger, the total length running from 

 91 to 102 mm., with the other measurements in proportion. 



Specimens examined: 



Peru: Inca Mines, altitude about 5000 feet, Depart, of Puno, 8 

 specimens, mostly 'young adults' (coll. Am. Mus.); Callao, altitude 60 



