APPENDIX, 241 



B, 



We believe the observation was first made bv 

 Mxtchill, that the opossum, Didelphis Virginiana, 

 is never found to inhabit the country north of the 

 Hudson, and we have been informed by a scientific 

 friend, who has devoted an especial degree of at- 

 tention to the subject, that from repeated researches 

 and inquiries, he is satisfied that the observation of 

 our distinguished countryman above named, is cor- 

 rect. This fact appears the more singular, when 

 it is remembered, that numbers of the species are 

 found along the southern banks of the river, and it 

 is well known, that in other parts of the country, 

 rivers of nearly equal size offer no barrier to the 

 diffusion of this species. It is a curious and inter- 

 esting inquiry to determine the causes of this limi- 

 tation; in the present state of our knowledge, we 

 have no satisfactory explanation to offer. 



In relation to the generation of the opossum, 

 considering that this work is destined for general 

 readers, we have deemed it advisable to omit what 

 we have prepared on this subject, and to make the 

 facts we have been enabled to collect and observe, 

 the subject of a paper to be published in a work 

 exclusively devoted to students of natural science. 



Vol. III. Si 



