OCR Text |
Show MAMMALIA. 97 4. DIDELPHIS BRACHYURA. PLATE XXII. Didelphis brachyura, A1tct. D. vellere brevi, corpm·is supdt cine1·co, jlavo lavato; laleribus capitis, co11Jorisque, et partibus iu:ferim·ibus ruJescenli-jlavis, gul~ et abdomine pallidioribtts; cauda brevi. DEscniPTION.-Heau 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 msty yellow, rather paler on the belly than on other parts, and of a deeper l1ue on the rump and cheeks; the eye is encircled with rusty yellow ; feet yellowish ; tail clothed with short stifl' hairs, and exhibiting scales, brownish above, and dirty yellowish white bcneath~ 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. Length from nose to the root of tail from nose to cars of tail In. Lines. G Habitat, Maldonado, La Plata, (June.) Length of tarsus (claws included) of e<tr ln. Lines 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 bracltyura 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 msty reo 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. 0 |