318 DIDELPHTIDiE. 



Synopsis of Subgenera and Species. 



I. EXTEENAL CHA.BAOTEBS. 



A, Tail very long; generally scaly, naked, 

 and markedly prehensile. 



a. Size large (lower leg more than 90 



millim.^ . Fur with long bristle-hairs 

 intermixed with it. Fifth hind toe 

 much shorter than the subec[ual 



second, third, and fourth I. Subgenus Didelphys, p. 322. 



a^. Anterior edge of ear with scarcely a 



trace of the basal projection .... 1. Z>. marsupialis, p, 323. 



b. Size medium or small (lower leg less 



than 80 millim.). Fur of one sort 

 only, without longer piles intermixed. 

 J\ Toes as in a. Anterior base of 

 ear with a well-marked projec- 

 tion. Size medium. (Lower leg 



50 to 75 millim.) II. Subgenus Metachirus, p. 329. 



a^. Ears very large, naked. White 

 spots present over eyes. Tail 

 slender, naked, scaly. 

 a^. Pouch present. Base of tail 



furry for two inches or more . 2. D. opossum, p. 329. 

 V. Pouch absent. Base of tail 



furry for barely one inch .... 3. Z). nudicaudata, p. 332. 

 6'. Ears quite small, hairy. Colour 

 uniform, no eye-spots. Tail 

 thick, nearly entirely hairy. 

 c°. Pouch absent. Tail furry for 



half its length 4.D. eraasicaudata, p. 334. 



c'. Fifth hind toe nearly equalling third, 



and longer than second; fourth 



the longest. 



c' Size medium, as in Metachirus. 



Fur woolly. Face with a brown 



central streak III. Subgenus Philander, p. 336.. 



d^. Base of tail furry for about two 

 or three inches, the fur ending 

 at the same level all round. 



Body uniformly coloured. .. . 5. D. philander, ■p. S37. 

 e°. Base of tail furry for about six 

 inches above, but only for 

 about three below. Body 

 more or less variegated with 



white 6. D. lanigera, p. 339, 



<f . Size small : lower leg less than 45 

 millim. Fur generally straight. 

 Face without a dark central 



streak IV. Subgenus Micoubeus, p, 840. 



/^ Tail slender, cylindrical, not 

 incrassated. Foot-pads low 

 and rounded, the sole between 

 them generally smooth, rarely 

 granulated. 



