The zoology of the voyage of H.M.S. Beagle [vol. 2 of 5] : $b MammaliaWaterhouse, G. R. (George Robert)
Science
The zoology of the voyage of H.M.S. Beagle [vol. 2 of 5] : $b Mammalia
Waterhouse, G. R. (George Robert)
Beagle Expedition (1831-1836); Mammals; Zoology
DESCRIPTION.—Head short; ears small, the posterior edge emarginated
near the base, distinctly furnished with hairs; tail slightly
exceeding the body in length, very thick at the base; tarsi small;
fur moderately long, slightly harsh, and somewhat adpressed (much
less woolly than in most Opossums): general tint brownish yellow,
under parts paler; anterior angle of the eye and muzzle brown, the
tip of the chin, and also the tip of the muzzle on either side
whitish; on the cheeks, a little below the eyes, is a patch of
yellow which extends round the angle of the mouth: about one-third
of the tail is covered with fur of the same colour and character
as that on the body; beyond this the tail is black, excepting a
small portion, about one inch in length, at the apex, which is
white; and the hairs are short, closely adpressed, and scarcely
hide the scales which are beneath: the fore portion of each foot
is brown: the hairs covering the ears on the outer side are
brownish, and those on the inner side of the ear are yellow, but
towards the outer margin they are brown. The hairs of the back
have the basal half gray, and the apical half ochreous,
terminating in yellowish brown; on the belly and underside of
neck, the hairs are ochreous, faintly tinted with gray at the
base.
In. Lines.
Length from nose to root of tail 1 3
of tail 10 3
from nose to ear 2 1½
of tarsus 1 5½
of ear 0 6
Habitat, Maldonado, La Plata, (_June_).
The species described by Azara, under the name _Macrouré à grosse
queue_, agrees so perfectly with the present animal, that I have no
hesitation in referring it to the _Didelphis crassicaudata_ of
Desmarest, which is founded upon Azara’s description.
The head of the _Didelphis crassicaudata_ is shorter and less pointed
than in most other Opossums; the ears are unusually small, and the tail
is very thick. In the character of the fur also, this species differs
from most others, the hairs being rather short and somewhat adpressed;
and the soft under fur being very scanty. Upon separating the fur on the
back and sides of the body, numerous young hairs were visible in the
specimen from which the above description is taken, and these were of a
bright rusty red tint; the colouring of the animal therefore would, in
all probability, have been very different after a short time, had it not
been killed. Those observed by Azara varied considerably in their
colouring. The skull is figured in Plate 34. figs. 25. Fig. _d_
represents a _ramus_ of the lower jaw.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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