6954 Quadrupeds. 



evening before, whilst it was upon a tree on a farm near Redmarshall. 

 The farmer, supposing that it was some savage carnivorous animal, 

 which would destroy all the poultry in the neighbourhood, and 

 especially, as at the time when he first noticed it, it was following 

 some hens or chickens, he therefore, with several other men, went in 

 pursuit of it, and at length succeeded in killing it, though not " up a 

 gum-tree," but up a " poplar-tree," where it had made a nest with 

 straw. 



I may here add that the common opossum [Didelphis Virginiana) 

 is known to attack poultry and to devour birds' eggs. So then, had 

 the Redmarshall farmer imagined that the strange wild beast he saw- 

 to be an opossum, he would have had very good grounds for fearing 

 the destruction of his poultry. 



I will now briefly give a description of it. The length, from the tip 

 of the nose to the base of the tail, 18f inches ; the length of the tail 

 about 13 inches, and the entire length 31f inches. 



The dentition I found as follows : — Two large front teeth or inci- 

 sors in the lower jaw somewhat curved inwards, and like those of rab- 

 bits and squirrels. Six incisors in the upper jaw, then two small 

 canines — the first apart from the second, and also larger than the 

 second ; and four or five molars. The first of the molars in each jaw 

 is somewhat compressed and of a cone shape ; but the exact number 

 of the latter I could not determine as the animal was stiff, having been 

 so recently killed, and I did not like to force open the jaws. In the 

 lower jaw are no canine teeth, but near the base of each of the two 

 long incisors there appears the rudiment of a canine tooth ; also the 

 same number of molars, most likely five. If so, the dental formula of 

 the upper jaw would be = 6 inc. + 4 can. + 10 mo. = 20 in all ; and 

 that of the lower jaw = 2 inc. + can. + 10 mo. = 13 in all ; and 

 these altogether make thirty-two teeth. Legs rather short. Front 

 foot with five long toes, and five curved, sharp and compressed claws ; 

 of these toes the two central are the longest. But the hind foot has 

 only two large toes and two claws ; and also, on the inside, a third 

 toe, divided into two as far as the last phalanx, or at least the two are 

 united by the skin up to that phalanx, and they have both long, sharp 

 and compressed claws. Then beyond, again, on the inside, and 

 placed more backward, is a large and broad thumb, though without 

 any claw or distinct nail. The feet, of a brownish yellow^, having 

 much the character of hands, are evidently those of a climbing 

 animal j and the same may be said of the tail, for it is prehensile, is 



