64 CLASS MAMMALIA. 



longer than the rest, and eight below. Three anterior 

 cheek-teeth compressed, and four posterior ones brist- 

 ling with points, the upper of which are triangular and 

 the lower oblong. In all they have fifty teeth, the 

 greatest number yet observed among quadrupeds. 

 The tongue is rough and bristly, the tail prehensile 

 and partly naked. The thumb of the hinder foot is 

 long and considerably separated from the other toes. 

 Their mouth being very deeply divided, and their 

 large naked ears, give them a very peculiar phy- 

 siognomy. They are fetid and nocturnal animals, 

 very slow in their motions. They lodge in trees, 

 and there pursue birds, insects, fyc, without, how- 

 ever, rejecting fruits. Their stomach is small and 

 simple, the caecum of moderate size, and not 

 turgescent. 



In certain species the females have a deep pouch, 

 within which are their teats and where they can en- 

 close their little ones. 



The Sarigue, with bi-coloured ears, Opossum of the Anglo- 

 Americans. (Didelphis Virginiana.) Penn. Hist. 

 Quad. 302. 



Almost as large as a cat, with fur mingled with 

 black and white ; the ears equally divided be- 

 tween white and black, and the head almost 

 entirely white. Inhabits the whole of America; 

 comes by night into the frequented places to 

 attack hens, eat their eggs, fyc. Their young 

 ones, sometimes sixteen in number, do not weigh 

 above a single grain at their birth* Although 

 blind and almost unformed, they find the teat by 



