::::;::::^ THE TROPICS Bj:::::::: 



What cowards they are ! Once we caught a greedy 

 one in broad daylight, dragging away a heavy piece of 

 meat. As he caught sight of us, the meat dropped 

 from his jaws and he fell over in a dead faint, simulat- 



MEXICAN OPOSSUM "PLATING 'POSSUM" 



ing a death spasm. I hastened to photograph him, 

 knowing the ways of an opossum too well to feel any 

 sympathy with his apparent agony. Then we hid and 

 watched. Gradually the glaze passed from his half- 

 closed eyes, he raised his head and cautiously stood 

 upright. Again and again he hungrily eyed the meat, 

 but at last some terror seized him, and he scampered 

 away to the jungle as fast as his flat-soled feet could 

 carry him. 



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