MAMMALIA. TERM. Opoflum.. i 95 



tris. Merian, infe<& furin. 66. t. 66— Glis fylveftris, Mus fylveftris, f. Sorex fylveftris, from Ame- 

 rica. Seba, Muf. i. 49. t. 31. f. 4. 5. ii. 9 o. t. 84. f. 4. -Surinam Philander, of a tawny red on the 

 back, and whitifh yellow on the belly. BrifT. quad. 212.— Surinam Opoffum, or Merian Opoflum. 

 Sm. Buff. viii. 267. Penn. hilt, of quad. n. 191. 



Inhabits Surinam.— This fpecies is about ten inches long, from the nofe to the rump, the tail be- 

 ing rather longer ; it burrows in the ground ; the female brings five or fix young at a birth, which 

 adhere to their parent when threatened with any danger, by twilling their prehenfile tails round hers, 

 and riding on her back : The ears are long, fliarp pointed, and naked ; the head and upper parts of 

 the body are of a yellowifh brown, or reddilh yellow colour, which becomes bright red on the back; 

 the front, muzzle, belly, and feet, are whitifh yellow ; the orbits are furrounded with a dulky ring ; 

 the tail is naked and of a pale red, that of the male having duiky red fpots ; the feet referable thofc 

 of the Ape, having four fingers and a thumb on all the four paws : The young ones grunt like pigs. 



10. Cayenne Opoffum — 7. Didclphls cancrivora. 7. 



The upper jaw, on each fide, is armed with a crooked canine tooth which reaches be- 

 yond the under jaw. 



Didelphis cancrivora, or Crab-eater Opoffum, having a fcaly and almoft naked tail, nearly ar, 

 long as the body ; and a diftindt thumb, or great toe, on the hind foot armed with a flat nail. Syft. 

 liat. ed. Gmel. p. 108. n. 7.- Crab-eater, Crab-dog, or Crabier. Sm. Buff. viii. 279. pi. cexciii.— 

 Koupara, Canis fylveftris major, or Larger wild Dog, commonly called Cancrofus, or Crabier. 

 Barrere, Fr. equin. ^.-Cayenne Opoffum. Penn. hift. of quad. n. 187. 



Inhabits Cayenne.-This animal is about eighteen inches long from nofe to rump, and fix and A 

 half inches high; the tail is prehenfile, greyifh, fcaly, naked, tapering, and about fixteen inches in 

 length; the head is long, with a pointed muzzle, and fhort, erec\ fomewhat pointed ears; the fur is 

 woolly, ofayellowilh white on the fides and belly, deeper yellow on the Ihoulders, thighs, neck, 

 breaft, and head, and mixed with brown in fome places; this woolly fur is mixed with long ftiff 

 hairs, near three inches in length, which are of a dirty white colour at the roots, and dark brown 

 almoft black, at their extremities ; thefe increafe in number on the thighs, and on the ridge of the 

 back, which is totally covered with them, Co as to form a kind of mane from the middle of the back 

 to the or.gin of the tail ; the legs and feet are of a blackifh brown colour, having four crooked toes 

 and a ftraight thumb on each foot, the great toes or thumbs being thick, broad, and diftant; the 

 nails of the thumbs and great toes are flat, but the other toes are armed with ihort crooked claws. 

 This fpecies is very common in Cayenne, frequenting the Savannahs and other marfhy places, and 

 climbs trees with great dexterity : It lives chiefly on crabs, and is always fat : When it cannot reach 

 the crabs m their holes with its paws, it introduces the prehenfile tail to hook them out, and in this 

 attempt it often gets pinched, on which occafion it emits a cry, fomewhat like that of mankind, 

 which is heard at a great diftance; but its ordinary voice is a kind of grunt : The female brings four 

 or five young ones at a litter, and, having no pouch, depofits them in the hollows of old trees. It 

 may be tamed with great eafe, and fed, like Dogs and Cats, with all kinds of victuals ; Its flefh re- 

 fembles that of a Hare, and is eaten by the natives of South America. 



Bb x 



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