218 MAMMALIA—OPOSSUM. 
time enlarged themselves, and been no more heard of. In some such 1n- 
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.” 
LHe CAYOPOLLIN, OF MEXICAN OPOSS UM 
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 transpas 
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 OPOSSUM? 
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 fetuses only, which are not come to the fourth 
part of their growth. 
1 Didelphis cayopollin, Lin. 2 Didelphis murina, Li. 
