352 riDELPHriD^. 



12. Didelphys velutina. 



Didelphys velutina, Wagn, Arch. f. Nat. viii. p. 360 (1842); Sehinz, 

 Syn. Mamm. i. p. 505 (1844) ; Wagn. Abh. Ah. Munch, v. p. 155 

 (1847) ; Burm. Thiere Bras. i. p. 142 (1854) ; Wagn. Schr. Saug. 

 Supp. V. p. 247 (1855); Oieb. Sdug. p. 718|(1859); Natt. Pek. 

 Bras. Saug., Verh. z.-h. Wien, xxxiii. Anh. p. 115 (1883). 



Microdelphys velutina, Burm. Erldut. Faun. Bras. p. 86, pi, xiv. 

 fig. 2 (animal), pi. xi. fig. 8 (skull) (1856). 



Velvdit Opossum. 



The following description is taken from the type specimen, which, 

 by the kindness of Dr. von Pelzeln, I have had the opportunity of 

 examining in the Vienna Museum. 



Size small. Fur peculiarly soft, crisp, and velvety. General 

 colour soft mouse-grey, with a dull rusty-brown suffusion along the 

 sides, from the cheeks to the hips. Face paler grey, the eye-mark 

 somewhat indistinct. Ears large, a very slightly convex projection 

 at their anterior bases. Chin yellowish white, chest rusty-fawn; 

 belly pale cream-colour, the hairs dark slaty at their bases ; line of 

 demarcation of colours rather sharply defi.ned. Forearms and hands, 

 inner sides of legs, and feet like beUy ; outsides of legs like back. 

 Tail shorter than the head and body, its basal half-inch thickly 

 furry like the back. Fifth hiud toe reaching fo the end of the 

 second phalanx of the fourth. 



ShvM still in the skin. 



Teeth. Lower p.'' about equal to, or very slightly smaller than p.' 



Dimensions. 



Type (stuffed). 



? Adult. 



millim. 



Head and body (e.) 86 



Tail ; 73 



Hind foot 11-3 



Ear 9 (contracted). 



Hah. Sao Paulo, Brazil. 



Type in the Vienna Museum. 



The separation of this species from B. grisea is, I think, very 

 doubtful, but the remarkable shortness of the tail, apparently quite 

 complete in the type, prevents me at present from definitely uniting 

 the two. The species, on account of the same peculiarity, has 

 always been placed in the subgenus Peramys, but there can be no 

 question that its natural place is in the present grouj). 



13. Didelphys elegans. 



Didelphys hortensis, Reid, P. Z. 8. 1837, p. 4 (nom. nudum) ; Waterh. 

 Cat. Mamm. Mua. Z. S. p. 64 (1838). 



