86 PROCEEDINGS OF THE 



heathen J ' Opossum and smote it violently, professing a momentary 

 and most thoroughly unzoological contempt for the value of this 

 particular cranium. But I met with my punishment, while at the 

 same time adding to my knowledge of the family, for on going to 

 pick up the now apparently dead Opossum, I had my thumb 

 instantly bitten to the bone. 



This was the only case I ever knew of the Yellow Opossum using 

 its tail to aid it in springing at an enemy. In doing so, the tail 

 was curved round into an arch, so that about a third of its length 

 rested on the ground, and on the animal springing up — nearly per- 

 pendicularly — the muscles evidently acted as a propelling power, 

 enabling it to jump nearly two feet in height. As the action was 

 repeated several times, I retain no doubt on the matter, though 

 surprised that it should never have occurred again in any other 

 instance. 



When on land " Biscacheros " (inhabited ones) and vacant 

 armadillo burrows generally afford this species a home. How it 

 agrees with the inmates of the former I never ascertained, but 

 confess to having my doubts. On this subject, as on having a 

 skunk as occasional hall-porter, I should like to have the frank 

 opinion of some communicative " member for the burrows " of 

 L. trichodactylus ! 



Though as much at home in the water as an Otter, the Opossums 

 I surprised sleeping on any little islands during the flood of 1877 

 would not leave the land, and if driven to the edge of the water, 

 stood at bay there rather than take to it. 



As I described the black and white species as being entirely 

 terrestrial and arboreal in its habits, so may the present one be 

 distinguished as being as entirely terrestrial and aquatic. The 

 nature of its food may be imagined, when I cite one instance of 

 finding a specimen in a duck's nest, in the middle of a swamp. It 

 was rolled up among the eggs and sound asleep, actually letting 

 me touch it with my riding whip before it awoke, when it took 

 to the water, and escaped. As birds, and even eggs, are to be 

 found all the year round, the only hard times for the Yellow 

 Opossum is during a drought, when the swamps dry up and deprive 

 it of both shelter and food. 



One spring, about the end of September, I rode over to the 

 Canada de Cisneros (Swamp of the Swanneries), in search of eggs 

 of Cygnus nigricollis. Three or four nests gave me as much to 



