MAMMALIA. 97 



4. DlDELPHIS BRACHYURA. 



Plate XXII. 



Didelphis brachyura, Auct. 



D. vellere brevi, corporis suprh cinereo, flavo lavato ; lateribus capitis, corporisque, et 

 partibus inferioribus rufescetiti-flavis, gula et abdomine pallidioribus ; caudd brevi. 



Description. — Head large; canine teeth very large; ears rather small; tail short, 

 rather more than half the length of the body ; fur short and crisp ; the back 

 and upper surface of the head ashy gray, grizzled with yellowish white ; the 

 sides of the head and body, and under parts rusty yellow, rather paler on the 

 belly than on other parts, and of a deeper hue on the rump and cheeks ; the 

 eye is encircled with rusty yellow ; feet yellowish ; tail clothed with short stiff 

 hairs, and exhibiting scales, brownish above, and dirty yellowish white be- 

 neath — a small naked space beneath, at the tip, of about two lines in length. 

 Fur of the back grayish at the base, that on the belly uniform ; ears clothed 

 with minute yellowish white hairs. 



In. Lines 



Length of tarsus (claws included) . . 8f 

 of ear 3f 



Habitat, Maldonado, La Plata, (June.) 



Never having seen a good figure of this animal, I have thought it desirable 

 to introduce it in the plates of this work. 



The Didelphis brachyura is closely allied to the D. tricolor of authors, but in 

 that species the upper parts of the body are nearly black ; the sides of the head 

 and body are of a deep rusty red tint, and the under parts are almost white. 



" Was caught by some boys digging in a garden. Its intestines were full of 

 the remains of insects, chiefly ants and others of the Hemipterous order." — D. 





In. 



Lines. 



Length from nose to the root of tail 



. 6 







from nose to ears 



. 1 



6 





. 2 



8 



