7ieio SuJ>species o/ Metacliirus. C03 



TTah» Western Colombia, Cliaco region. Ti/pe from 

 Condoto, 300'. 



Type. Youncr adult male. B.M. no. 14. 5. 2^. 30. Original 

 number 343. Collected 1st February, J 914, and presented 

 b}' Dr. U. G. F. JSpurrell. One specimen. 



This is a very strongly contrasted black and white form, 

 no doubt most nearly allied to Osgood's Metachii-us andersoni'^ 

 (oi-^ as I should prefer to call it, M, opossum andersoni) of 

 Yurimaguas, N. Peru, but differs by its more uniformly 

 blackish back, without development of a dorsal line, its less 

 wholly clear bufEy under surface, its smaller supraocular 

 spots, and its contrasted whitish front surfaces of the forearms 

 and hips. 



Metachirus opossum nigratas^ subsp. n. 



A large blackish form with dark under surface. 



General upper coloration about as in andersoni, the ground- 

 colour dark with a black dorsal line, narrow on the nape, 

 broad on the back. Under surface dull muddy greyish 

 brown, with a small patch only on the chest buffy to the 

 bases of the hairs. Crown and muzzle black. Supraocular 

 spots of the usual large size, 12-14 mm. in diameter and 

 about 7 mm. from each other. Postauricular whitish spots 

 small, but more evident than in melantho. Arms dull 

 greyish, like sides, their front surfaces scarcely lighter ; 

 hands and feet black to the metapodials, the digits brownish 

 white. Tail with about one-fifth of its scaly part white. 



Dimensions of the type (measured in the liesh) : — 



Head and body 265 mm. ; tail 275, its scaly portion 240, 

 its white end 40 mm. ; hind foot 40 ; ear 35. 



Skull; condylo-basal length G9 ; combined length of ms^~^ 

 12. Another skull from Chanchamayo is no less than 81 mm. 

 in condylo-basal length. 



Bob. Middle Peru. Type from Utcuyaco, Dept. Junin, 

 1600 m.; another skin and a separate skull from Chan- 

 chamavo. 



Tijpe. Adult female. B.M. no. 0. 7. 7. Q^. Original 

 number 947. Collected 21st April, 1900, by P. 0. Simons. 

 Presented by Oldfield Thomas. 



This is also a dark form related to Osgood^s andersoni^ but 

 differs by its muddy-coloured instead of buffy under surface, 

 darker digits^ and shorter white tail-tip. 



* Field Mas. Publ. No. 168, p. 95 (1913). 



39^' 



