CHAPTER I . 



THE OPOSSUMS AND BANDICOOTS. 



THE MARSUPIALS — THE TRUE OPOSSUMS— THE VIRGINIA OPOSSUM — MERRIAN'S OPOSSUM — THE CHAD- 

 EATING OPOSSUM — THE YAPOCK — THE POUCHED MOUSE — THE TASMANIAN DEVIL — THE NATIVE 

 CAT — THE ZEBRA WOLF — THE NATIVE ANT-EATER — THE SrRll'KI) liANDICOOT — THE CIlrEROPUS. 



TIIR name Marsupialia is derived from the Latin word marsu- 

 piinn "a purse," and indicates the characteristic peculiarity of 

 the whole Order. The pouch varies considerably in the various 

 species. Usually it is tolerably large, and it contains the niainince or 

 teats. The young, when born, are exceedingly minute, and arc trans- 

 ferred by the mother into the pouch, when they instinctively attach 

 themselves to the teats. By degrees they loosen their hold, and put 

 their little heads out of llic living cradle. In a few weeks more they 

 leave the pouch entirely, but their mother is always ready to receive 

 them again into their cradle. 



The (^rder is divided into sevai families, six of which are Australian, 

 and one American. 



The family DiDELPHinyE or TRUE Opossums range through all the 

 wooded districts of South America from Texas to the River Flatt, with 

 one species extending to the Hudson River, and west to the Missouri. 

 They are most numerous in the great forest region of Brazil, but the 

 number of species is very uncertain. 



GENUS DIDELPHYS. 



With the exception of the Yapock, and a small rat-like animal, HVRA- 

 roDON, found in Ecuador, all the members of the family belong to this 

 genus, and form tivcnty species. 



