M UK INK OPOSSUM. 
51 1 
accords perfectly with the “Mannose” (Bkhdphijs mu r in a) 
of the French authors 1 , and with four specimens contained 
in the British Museum collection, one of which is preserved 
in spirits. These specimens, moreover, accord perfectly witli 
M. Temminck’s account of the Marine Opossum ; hut, on 
the other hand, they cannot he regarded as the B. murina 
of Dr. Wagner, inasmuch as they have large cars, and these 
organs are described by that author as small in the animal 
which he regards as B. murina. 
The Murine Opossum is found in Brazil, hut is apparently 
most abundant in the northern portions of South America. 
Among my notes I have a description of a little Opossum, 
brought from Mexico, which differs only from the D. murina 
in being a trifle smaller: its dimensions were— 
Inches. 
Lines. 
From tip of nose to root of tail 
4 
10 
Length of tail 
. 5 
6 
u from nose to ear 
1 
0 
“ of ear ... 
. 
u of fore foot ... 
5 
“ of hind foot 
. 
n 
The specimen was a female, and had nine very distinct 
mamma?. I found the same number in the female B. murina 
which is preserved in spirits in the British Museum 
Small as the present animal is, it attacks birds, their 
feathers being found, mixed with numerous insect remains, in 
the stomachs of specimens dissected by M. Temminck. The 
author just mentioned states that it burrows in the ground, 
and climbs trees, and, like others of the genus, will eat fruits. 
Dr. Wagner describes two small species of Brazilian 
Opossums in Wiegmann’s Arcliiv 2 , which he suspects may 
have been confounded with the B. murina . The first— 
1 I have descriptions before me which I drew lip from the specimens in the 
French National Museum. 
2 See vol. viii. (1842), p. 350. 
