492 VIVERRINE OPOSSUM. 
with a brown one of the same size, and differing 
only in colour. The brown variety is that which 
Mr. Hunter, in the publication before referred 
to, has very accurately described. 
This animal (says Mr. H.) is of the size of 
a rat, and has very much the appearance of the 
Martin Cat, but hardly so long in the body in 
proportion to its size. 
" The head is flat forwards, and broad from 
side to side, especially between the eyes and ears ; 
the nose is peaked, and projecting beyond the 
teeth, which makes the upper jaw appear to be 
considerably longer than the lower : the eyes are 
pretty large; the ears broad, especially at their 
base, not becoming regularly narrower to a point, 
nor with a very smooth edge, and having a 
small process on the concave, or inner surface, 
near to the base. It has long whiskers from 
the sides of the cheeks, which begin forwards near 
the nose, by small and short hairs, and become 
longer and stronger as they approach the eyes. 
It has very much the air of a rat, to which it 
is similar in colour; but near to the setting on of 
the tail it is of a lighter brown, forming a broad 
ring round it. The fore feet are shorter than the 
hind, but much in the same proportion as those 
of the rat; the hind feet are more flexible. There 
are five toes on the fore feet, the middle the 
largest, falling off on each side nearly equally; 
but the fore or inner toe is rather shortest : they 
are thin from side to side, the nails are pretty 
broad laterally, and thin at their base; not very 
