80 
SPECIFIC CHARACTER. 
Grey Opoffum, fnow-white beneath, with lateral flying 
membrane and extremely villous prehentfile tail, black 
towards the extremity. 
IN its general afpect this animal has fo much the 
appearance of a {quirrel, that on a curfory view it might 
readily pafs for fuch. A more exact infpection into its 
characters will however evince it to be a genuine 
Opoffum. Its fize is nearly that of acommon {fquirrel, 
but on account of the fulnefs and particular growth of 
the fur (which, like that of the Lemur, grows in a fub- 
erect manner), it appears fomewhat larger. Its general 
colour is exactly that of the Sciurus cinereus or American 
Grey Squirrel. <A black {tripe paffles over each eye along 
the top of the head: under each ear is a black patch 
furrounded with white; the hair on the white part 
having a more foft or flocculent appearance than the 
black. The tail (which is prehenfile) is of the fame 
colour with the body for about half its length, the re- 
mainder being black. It is very full of hair, and tapers 
a little towards the extremity, but without any acute 
termination. The eyes are black, round, and full. The 
ears round, fhortifh, and very thin. The whole under 
fide of the animal is milk-white. The upper parts of 
