218 MAMMALIA — OPOSSUM. 



time enlarged themselves, and been no more heard of. In some such in- 

 stances these animals have escaped in the city, and for a long time have 

 taken up their quarters in cellars, where their presence has never been sus- 

 pected, as during the day they remained concealed. In this way it is very 

 probable that many are still living in the city of Philadelphia, obtaining a 

 plentiful food by their nightly labors." 



THE CAYOPOLLIN, OR MEXICAN OPOSSUM,! 



V:> 



Is a small animal, a little larger than a rat, very much resembling the opos- 

 sum in the snout, the ears, and the tail, which is thicker and stronger than 

 that of a rat ; he makes use of it as we do our hands ; he has thin transpa- 

 rent ears ; the belly, the legs, and feet white. The young, when they are 

 frightened, embrace the mother, who lifts them up on the trees. This spe- 

 cies has been found on the mountains of New Spain. 



THE MARMOSE, OR MURINE 0P0SSUM,2 



Resembles, in most respects, the Virginian ; they are natives of the same 

 climate, in the same continent, and are very much alike by the form of the 

 body, the conformation of the feet, and the tail, a part of which is covered 

 with scales, the upper part only being hairy. But the marmose is smaller 

 than the common opossum, his snout is still sharper ; the female has no 

 bag under the belly, she has only two loose skins near the thighs, between 

 which the young place themselves to stick to the paps. When the young 

 are brought forth, they are not so large as small beans ; they then stick to 

 the paps. The brood of the marmose is very numerous ; we have seen ten 

 small marmoses, each sticking to a pap, and the mother had still four more 

 paps. It is probable that these animals bring forth a few days after concep- 

 tion. The young are then foetuses only, which are not come to the fourth 

 part of their growth. 



' Diclelphis cayopollin, Lin. 2 Dldelphis murina, Lin. 



