196 MAMMALIA. FER2E. Opoflum. 



392 11, NewVHblland OpoSiimJ-^Didelphis cdudivdlvitfa. 



The tail is taper, hairy and prehenfile at the end. Penn. hift. of quad. n. 188. Cook's voy. 

 iii. 586. 



Inhabits New-Holland, near Endeavour river. — The head and body are about thirteen inches long, 

 being covered on the upper part and the fides with long, foft, gloffy hairs, of a dark cinereous colour 

 at the roots, and rufty brown at the ends ; the tale is taper, and of the fame length with the head 

 and body ; two-thirds of its length is covered with fhort brown hair, the extremity being white, and 

 naked underneath 3 the paws are furnifhed with thumbs having flat nails, and the toes have fhort 

 claws : This fpecies lodges among the long grafs, but is little known. 



In Governor Phillips voyage to New-South-Wales, p. 148, is a defcription of this animal, or one 

 very nearly allied to it, in the poffeflion of Mr John Hunter of London, Cent from New-South-Wales: 

 The countenance refembles that of a Fox, but the manners approach to thofe of the Squirrel ; when 

 difpofed to fleep it coils in a round form, but when eating, or on the watch, it fits erect, ufing its 

 fore feet to feed with, or to hold any thing ; when irritated it utters a loud harfli noife ; and only 

 feeds on vegetables ; The fur is long, clofe, thick, and of a mixed brown and greyifh on the back ; 

 the belly and neck are yellowifh white ; the head and body meafure eighteen inches, and the tail 

 twelve -, The muzzle is pointed and garnifhed with long whifkers ; the fore paws have five toes arm- 

 ed with claws ; the hind paws three toes with claws, and a diftinct thumb or great toe ; in each jaw 

 there are two fore-teeth ; the tefticles are large and pendulous : The female has a pouch on the belly., 



393 12. Short- tailed OpofTum. — 8. Didelphis brachynra. 8. 



Of a red colour, with a fhort hairy tail, naked ears, and no pouch. Schreber, iii. 548. 

 t. cli. Pallas, aft. Petrop. 1780, ii. 235. t. v. 



Philander obfcure-rufus, of a dark red colour on the back, and tawny on the belly, with a fhort 

 thick tail. Brill", quad. 213. — Philander, without any pouch over the teats, and having a fhort, 

 thick, hairy tail. Gronov. zooph. i. 9. n. 35. — Mus fylveftris femina, from America. Seba, Muf. i. 

 50. t. 31. f. 6. — Short-tailed Opoflum. Penn. hift. of quad. n. 189. 



Inhabits South America. — This animal is from three to five and a half inches long; the tail is 

 hardly half that length, and is covered with hair, thick at the bale, and gradually lefl'ens to the ex- 

 tremity. The fur is exceedingly foft and gloffy, of a dull red colour on the upper parts, and paler 

 red or tawny on the belly, with a beautiful red ftreak along the fides of the head and body. This 

 fpecies lives in the woods ; the female, which has no falfe belly, brings from nine to twelve young at 

 a birth, which adhere to the teats as foon as born. The head refembles that of the Didelphis Cayo- 

 pollin ; the fnout is lhorter than that of the Didelphis Opoflum, and thicker than that of the Didel- 

 phis murina, with which fpecies it agrees in the general form of the body, in the want of the pouch, 

 and in the male penis being placed, backwards below the fcrotum. 



304 13. Oriental OpofTum.— 9. Didelphis orientalis. 9. 



The tail is longer than the body, hairy from its bafe to the middle, the red naked and 



prehenfile; the two middle toes of the hind feet are united. Pallas, mifcel. zool. 59. 



J.rxleb. mam. 79. Schreber, iii. jtfb.t. tlih 



Phalanger,. 



