MAMMALIA. FER2E. Opofium. 191 



than the reft; in the lower jaw are eight, with two inter- 

 mediate broader than the reft, and very mort: The tufks are 

 long; the grinders knobbed: The tongue is furnilhed with 

 a fringe of pointed papillae. In moft fpecies the female has a 

 pouch or falfe belly, within which the teats are placed. In 

 general, the tail is long, flender, and naked. 



This genus is chiefly confined to America, at leaft moft of the known fpecies, till lately, were of 

 that country ; none have hitherto been difcovered in Europe, or Afia, except one fpecies ; and lately 

 fome fpecies have been found in the vaft ifland of New Holland. They moftly dwell in burrows, or 

 holes, in woody places, of their own digging, and frequent trees, which they climb with great facility, 

 often by the help of their tails, which, in many fpecies, are prehenfile ; their gait is generally rather 

 flow; they feed on birds, particularly poultry, infects, worms, and vegetables; for the moft part, their 

 feet are completely divided into five toes, feveral of them having a diftincft thumb, on the fore paws, 

 at fome diftance from the other toes : The male penis is moftly very much concealed, and has a di- 

 vided glans ; in many fpecies the females are provided with a kind of purfe, or falfe belly ; in fome 

 there are two, or even three, diftmct cavities, which can be fhut or opened at pleafure, being provided 

 with two bones for that purpofe, and in this the teats are fituated, and the young ones are kept there 

 after birth as in a neft, hanging perpetually to the nipples, till they grow large enough to run about ; 

 even the males of thefe fpecies are faid to be furnilhed with this Angular provillon. 



3-8- I. Amboina Opofium. — I. Didelphis marfiip'iaUs. I. 



Has eight teats within the pouch. Schreber, iii. 536. t. cxlv. 



Amboina Philander, of a blackifh red brown colour on the back, the belly of a pale yellowilh afh 

 colour, and having a dulky brcv/n fpot over each eye. Briff. quad. 201. — Philander orientalis maxi- 

 mus, or Largeft Oriental Philander. Seba, Muf. i. 64. t. 39. Klein, quad. 59. — Greater Molucca 

 Opoffum. Penn. hilt, of quad. n. 182. «. 



Inhabits Amboina, according to Pennant, or Surinam, according to Gmelin. — This fpecies is about 

 the fize of a large Cat or Martin: The noilrils are half-moon fhaped, and perpendicular; the muzzle 

 is furnifhed with five rows of whifkers ; at each angle of the mouth are eight long briftles, and five 

 under the throat ; the ears are oval, loofe, of a black colour, and tipt with white ; the back grinders 

 are knobbed, and the fore ones fingle pointed, the foremoft being very fmall ; the lower parts of the 

 legs are black and very finooth; the tail is as long as the body. / 



3$3 2. Brafilian Opoffum. — 2. Didelphis Philander. 2. 



Has four teats ; the tail is hairy at the bafe, and the ears are pendulous. Schreber, iii... 

 541. t. cxlvii. 



Brafilian Philander, having the fur of a whitifh colour at the roots and blackifh at the tips. 

 Briff. quad. 210 — Tlaquazin, or Tai-ibi of the Brafilians. Seba, Muf. i. 57. t. 36. f. 4.— Paras, or:- 

 P^avale. Gumilla, Orenoqu.iii. 238.. 



Inhabits-; 



