294 



MAMMALS OF AMERICA 



Among the North American mammals the 

 Opossum is in a class by itself, inasmuch as it is 

 a marsupial, or pouched animal. The pouch is 

 on the ventral side of the body and serves as a 

 nursery for the young. The young, from six to 

 twelve, are born in a very immature state, blind, 

 helpless, hairless, and very small, weighing from 

 eighteen to twenty-five grains. The mother places 

 the young in the pouch, where they are nourished 

 and kept for about six to eight weeks. After 

 this they venture out and climb over the body 

 of the parent, clinging to her fur. At times the 

 mother arches her tail over her back, as the 

 Squirrel often does, and the little ones cling to 

 it by their prehensile tails, heads down, and the 

 forward feet touching her back, presenting a 



Photograph by E. .-\. Brig^s 



TWO HUNGRY OPOSSUMS 



These tame Opossums were " snapped ' 

 pocket camera 



with a small folding 



curious sight indeed ! P'or a few weeks after 

 the young are able to climb out of the pouch 

 they do not venture upon the ground, but return 

 to the pouch for food and protection. 



The Opossum is nocturnal in its general 

 habits ; emerging from its retreat at the close of 

 dav. from a hollow tree, a crevice in the rocks, 

 or from under a building, wandering about in 

 search of food. However, I have seen it abroad 

 many times on cloudy days, and occasionally in 

 the bright sunshine. Its menu is varied, but 

 you may be sure it is a full one when it can be 

 procured. Nature has provided the Opossum 

 with teeth and a digestive apparatus indicating 

 its omnivorous character, and an appetite for 

 nearly all kinds of food. In its love for corn it 

 resembles the Raccoon, breaking the stalks in 

 the same manner and feeding upon the tender 

 young kernels. An important part of its food 



consists of insects of various kinds. The Opos- 

 sum is very destructive to the ground-nesting 

 birds, destroying eggs and young alike whenever 

 found. If an opportunity comes his way he 

 dines from the poultry yard, and here he shows 

 a decided preference for young chickens. But he 

 should also be given full credit for the mice, 

 moles, and young rabbits that he destroys. 



It is in the South, on his native heath, that 

 the Opossum reaches his greatest growth. For 

 him the October sun and the frosts of November 

 mature the juicy persimmon ; and from early 

 evening until break of day he lingers at Nature's 

 banquet. 



O. heedless Opossum ! Could you but sec into 

 the future you would not feed thus recklessly 

 upon the fruit, which in a few weeks must 

 render you so temptingly fat ! " 'Simmon " time 

 lirings in " 'Possum " time, and from many a 

 cabin the melodious negro voices, accompanied 

 by banjo, are heard singing: 



" 'Possum am a cunnin' thing, 

 He rambles in de dark, 

 Nothin' 'tall disturb his min' 

 But to hyah my bulldog bark." 



The hunting of the Opossum in the South is 

 one of the favorite sports among the colored 

 people, and I will quote from Dr. Bushman : 



" ' Come, men,' says one, ' be lively, let us 

 finish our task by four o'clock, and after sun- 

 down we will have a 'Possum hunt.' 



" The paraphernalia belonging to this hunt are 

 neither showy nor expensive. There are no 

 horses, no costly guns imported to order, no 

 pack of hounds answering to the echoing horn; 

 only two or three curs, half hound, half terrier, 

 each having his appropriate name, and each 

 regarded by his owner as the best of the lot. 

 A trail ij soon struck, and the dogs all open 

 up at once ; in an instant they rush, pell mell, 

 with a loud burst of mingled tongues, upon some 

 animal along the edge of an old field destitute 

 of trees. It proves to be an Opossum, detected 

 in its nightly prowling expedition. 



" At first, it feigns death, and rolling itself 

 into a ball lies still on the ground ; but the dogs 

 are up to this ' 'Possum ]>laying ' and seize upon 

 it at once. It utters a low growl or two. shows 

 no fight, opens wide its large mouth, and with 

 a few struggles, surrenders itself to its fate. 

 But our hunters are not yet satisfied, either with 

 the sport or the meat, so again they hie on the 

 dogs. Another Opossum is soon started, and 



