ORDER CARNASSIER. 35 



having the toes united by a membrane, and the thumbs 

 without nails ; the nails of the other toes sharp and curved. 



The name given to these animals is composed of two 

 Greek words %stp manus, and vmrns natator, swimming 

 with hands, a name sufficiently designative of their habits. 



They are found in South America only. The only species 

 is the Chironectes Yapock, or little Otter of Guinea. Buff. 

 Suppl. Lutra memina, Bodd; Didelphis palmata, Geoff. 

 The length of this animal, measured from the end of the 

 nose to the extremity of the body, is about a foot, or a little 

 more. The head is about three inches long. The tail a 

 little more than nine, and the average height of the animal 

 little more than three. There are however Yapocks of a 

 smaller size, as that, for instance, described by Buffon, which 

 was but eight inches long, and the tail six. The head is 

 pointed, the muzzle rather slender, and the ears large and 

 naked. The tail is hairy on the upper part, and more espe- 

 cially at the base, naked and prehensile underneath. The 

 fur on the upper part of the animal is marked by large 

 patches of a blackish brown, the intervals of which are filled 

 by a yellowish gray. These dark spots are symmetrical. 

 One of them covers the muzzle and extends on each side be- 

 hind the ears, where a second spot begins which spreads 

 over the hinder part of the neck, and is united by a dorsal 

 line to the third, which is situated nearly over the shoulders. 

 On the back are two of these spots, equally connected by the 

 brown colour of the central part. The last spot is placed 

 on the crupper, and extends over the basis of the tail, and 

 on the external part of the thighs. Behind each eye is a 

 white spot, and all the under part of the body is white. 

 These marks however vary as to their disposition in dif- 

 ferent individuals, nor did the specimen whence our figure 

 was taken exactly accord in this respect. The moustaches 

 are about an inch long, as also are the long hairs above 

 the eye, and those on the tarsi. 



D2 



