100 
DIDELPHVS VIRGINIANA. 
one third is black, and the rest white. The fur of die animal 
is somewhat woolly, very long, loose, aud moderately soft; 
it is of a dirty yellowish white hue, and the hairs of die 
ordinary fur are more or less suffused with black or brown 
at the extremity ; most distinctly so ou the back, numerous 
very long silky hairs arc interspersed with those which form 
the chief clothing of the animal, the visible portions of which 
are white. The head is white, but usually the hairs on the 
occipital portion are dusky at the point, and an indistinct 
mark running Forwards from this part, and terminating 
between the eyes, is formed by the hairs being similarly 
suffused with brownish at the point on the middle part of the 
head. The eye is narrowly encircled with dusky brown, 
excepting in front, where the dark hue is more extended, and 
forms a tolerably conspicuous spot. The ears are sometimes 
entirely black, but usually they are tipped with white, the 
white in some individuals forming a narrow edging, and in 
otilers, is rather more extended. The legs and feet are of a 
brownish black colour. 
A specimen of the Virginian Opossum in the British 
Museum is entirely white, with the exception of the ears, 
which are black, but margined with white at the apex, and a 
small patch in front of the eye, which is brown. 
Female. 
Male. 
Length from tip of nose to root of tail 
Ins. lJnrs. 
22 0 
In*. Lino*. 
21 0 
Ins. Liofv 
22 0 
" of tail 
15 0 
12 
0 
14 
0 
“ from nose to car 
4 5 
4 
9 
4 
9 
“ of car ... ... ... . 
1 5 
1 
0 
1 
0 
41 of hind foot ... 
2 5 
2 7 
2 7 
The structure of the skull of the I). Virginian a indicates 
great power in the action of the jaws, the temporal ridges 
