MAMMALIA. 
97 
4. Didelphis brachyura. 
PlateSXXII. 
Didelphis brachyura, Auct. 
D. vellere brevi, corporis supra cinereo, Jlavo lavato ; lateribus capitis, corporisque, et 
partibus infer ioribus rufescenti-jiavis, gula et abdomine pallidioribus ; cauda 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. In. 
Length from nose to the root of tail . 6 0 Length of tarsus (claws included) . . 0 
from nose to ears ... 1 6 of ear . . . . .0 
of tail . . . . .28 
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. 
Lines 
8f 
3f 
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