SPOTTED OPOSSUM, 
should seem necessary to call the first the 
Viverrine Opossum only, and the latter the 
Spotted Viverrine Opossum: particularly, as 
the Oppossurns appear to be a very numerous, 
tribe. 
The general size of this species of the 
Opossum is said to be that of the Stoat ;. 
which is about ten inches long, from the tip 
of the nose to the insertion of the tail: the. 
tail is of itself about eight inches in length. 
In the account of Governor Phillip's Voyage 
to Botany Bay, published by Stockdale, where 
this animal is called the Spotted Opossum, it is 
Said to measure about fifteen inches from the 
nose to the tail ; and the tail itself to be about 
ten : but the description given by Mr. Hunter, 
in Mr. White's Journal, represents it to be 
about the size of a Rat. It is easy to suppose, 
that these differences may have arisen, from the 
respective parties having examined specimens 
of different ages. 
The general colour of the animal is a deep, 
glossy black ; the body? and outsides of the 
limbs, 
