CHAPTER XIIL 



Tab. XXIV. — the opossum. 



Fig. 1. The American opossum ; [didelphis marsupialis.) 

 The body of the animal is of a greyish yellow colour, some 

 hairs entirely black, with others entirely white ; the tail fur- 

 nished with scales ; the hands, nose, and ears naked. The 

 female has the whole length of the belly cleft or slit, and ap- 

 pears like a person's ^raistcoat buttoned only at the top and 

 bottom. This cavity the animal has the power of lirmly 

 closing. Within are thirteen teats, extremely small, one in 

 the centre, and the rest ranged round it. i 



Fig. 2. One of the young of the opossum. 



Fig. 3. The pelvis of the opossum ; a, a, the two bones 

 (ossa marsupialia) placed on the anterior part called the ossa 

 pubis. 



The kangaroo and several other animals of New Holland 

 have a similar structure. 



