SHORT-TAILED OPOSSUM. 479 
down the middle^ and a blackish or brown border 
round the eyes, as in some other species: the legs 
are dusky, and the claws white. The measure of 
the animal from nose to tail is nine inches^ and of 
the tail the same, which is spotted with brown 
and white, and is coated with hair to the distance 
of about an inch from the base, the remainder 
being naked. The measures of this species, as 
given by Mr. Schreber, are somewhat different. 
He says the length of the animal is somewhat 
more than seven inches, and of the tail more than 
eleven. It is a native of the mountains of Mexico, 
where it lives among trees. 
SHORT-TAILED OPOSSUM. 
Didelphis Brachyura. D. cauda pilosa et aurkulis cahis bretis- 
simiSj marsupio nullo, corpore rufo. Lin. Syst. Nat. Gmel 
p. io8. Schreb. saeughth. p. 548. t. loi. 
Mus sylvestris Americana foemina. Seb. mm, 1.^.50. ^.31. 
f.6. 
Short-tailed Opossum. Pennant Quadr. 2. p. 26. 
This is one of the smaller species; and is said 
seldom to exceed the length of five inches from 
nose to tail; and in general to be somewhat 
smaller than this ; and the tail scarce exceeds the 
length of two inches. Its colour is a reddish 
brown, on the upper parts, and whitish beneath ; 
it is destitute of an abdominal pouch ; the young 
fastening themselves to the teats. The fur of this 
animal is very soft and elegant ; the tail is very thick 
