1. DIDBLPHXS. 355 



14. Didelphys dimidiata. 



Didelphys brachyiu-a, Waterh. Cat. Mamm. Mus. Z. S. p. 64 (1838) 



(nee Schreb.) ; id. Zool. Voy. Beagle, Mamm. p. 97, pi. xxxii. 



(animal) (1839) ; id. Jard. Nat. Mbr., Mamm. xi. p. Ill (1841) ; 



id. N. H. Mamm. i. p. 522, pi. xvi. fig. 3 (animal) (1846) ; Burm. 



Thiere Bras. i. p. 141 (1854); id. Bepubl Argent, p. 194 (1879). 

 Didelphys dimidiata, Wagn. Abk. Ak. Munch, v. p. 161 (footnote) 



(1847). 

 Microdelphys braohyura, Burm. Brlmt. Favm. Bras, p. 86 (1856) ; 



Hem. Abh. Ak. Berl. 1872, p. 122. 



Ybliow-bidud Oposstnu. 



Size large. Fur short, coarse and harsh, (general colour pale 

 grizzled grey along the crown and upper side of the back, rich 

 orange-yellow on the sides and belly. Muzzle long and slender ; 

 rhinarium with a short backwardly projecting extension in the 

 centre of its' postero-superior border. Ears rounded, very short, 

 their length not equal to their breadth, and, when laid forward, not 

 nearly reaching to the eye ; antero-internal basal projection and meta- 

 tragus large and well developed. , Colour of body as already described. 

 Chest (in males) with a gland, in the same position as in Myrmeeo- 

 bius (see supra, p. 311), but without the larger and more prominent 

 apertures. Arms and legs yellow, hands and feet greyer. Skin of soles 

 rough and coarse ; hind pads not so sharply defined as in the other 

 species, five in number, the usual small postero-external pad absent. 

 Tail only about half the length of the head and body, thick, evenly 

 tapering, clothed all along with numerous short fine hairs, brown 

 above, yellowish below. 



Skull (PI. XXVII. fig. 4) very differently shaped to that of the 

 other species. Muzzle narrow, very convex upwards, not flattened. 

 Orbito-temporal region exceedingly narrow, parallel-sided ; the 

 brain-case also very narrow in proportion to the boldly expanded 

 zygomata. Postorbital processes present although small in adults, 

 and becoming weU-marked in old individuals, such as the specimen 

 figured. Temporal crest early developed, becoming very high and 

 prominent in old age. Palate with a single pair of vacuities opposite 

 m.^ and m.' 



Teeth. Canines, both upper and lower, very long and strong. 

 Upper premolars not touching each other, p.* very much larger than 

 either of the others. Molars small and delicate, the combined 

 lengths of the first three about 5 or 5-2 millim. Lower premolars 

 rapidly increasing in height backwards. Lower molar series about 

 6-6 millim. 



Dimensions. 



