2 74 Bulletin American Museum of Natural History. [Vol. XVI, 



Measurements. The fine series of adults with measurements taken 

 in the flesh by the late Mr. P. O. Simons include 7 specimens of each 

 sex, which indicate the usual sexual difference in size found in the 

 members of the genus Didelphis, and which doubtless obtains in all. 

 (See subjoined tables of external measurements, p. 279.) The skulls 

 belonging to these skins show that nearly all were middle-aged adults. 

 The male skulls range in total length from 92 to 104 mm., and the 

 females from 87 to 97, and thus considerably exceed in size specimens 

 of corresponding age of the more southern D. p. pernigra. 



Specimens examined: 



Ecuador: Cafiar, altitude 9000 feet, 3 specimens; Cayambe, alti- 

 tude about 9000 feet, i specimen; Cuenca, altitude about 7500 feet, 

 4 specimens; Ibarra, altitude about 7500 feet, 2 specimens; Loja, 

 altitude about 7000 feet, 2 specimens; Quito, altitude about 9500 

 feet, 5 specimens; Riobamba, altitude about 9000 to 12,000 feet, 5 

 specimens. 



Total, 22 specimens, coll. British Museum. 



This form differs from pernigra in being much larger, and 

 in having the dark lateral head stripes much broader, espe- 

 cially in front of the eyes. 



Didelphis paraguayensis meridensis, subsp. nov. 



Type, No. 98-7-1-14, British Museum, $ juv., Merida, Venezuela, 

 altitude about 6500 feet. 



Geographical Distribution. Eastern Cordillera of Colombia and 

 Venezuela. The only localities represented are Bogota and Merida. 



Black phase. Long overhair black for apical two thirds, basal 

 half white ; underfur pale yellowish white, broadly tipped with black; 

 below pale yellowish white, the tips of the hairs pale grayish brown; 

 median face stripe much shorter and narrower than in pernigra and 

 andina; eye-stripes greatly reduced, narrow, and extending but little 

 beyond the eye either in front or posteriorly, forming a small oval 

 eye-spot, about three times longer than wide. Ears wholly pale 

 yellow; limbs and feet black; tail black for the basal third, the rest 

 pale yellow. 



Gray phase (No. 42-4-12-20, Brit. Mus., Sta. Fe" do Bogota, Colom- 

 bia, $ juv.) . Similar in face markings and general coloration to the 

 black phase, except that the bristly overhair is white instead of black. 



This subspecies is based on the two specimens above 

 described, neither of which is full-grown, nor are the skulls 

 available for examination. It is strikingly different from the 

 two Andean forms through the great reduction in extent of 



