THE OPPOSSUM KI N D. 119 



The Van is much larger than either of the former; its hair much 

 longer ; has a kind of rufF round the neck, of very long hair, by which 

 it may be diftinguifned from the reft ; fierce and favage; its voice fome- 

 vvhat refembles the rearing of the lion : native of Madagafcar. 



To this tribe we may refer a little four-handed animal, of the ifland 

 of Ceylon, which Mr. BufFon calls the Lori ; of all quadrupeds the 

 longeft, in proportion to its fize ; having nine vertebra in the loins j 

 whereas others have only feven. The body appears longer, by having 

 no tail; refembles the maki kind in its hands, feet, fnour, and the giofs 

 of its hair ; about the fize of a fquirrelj and appears to be a tame, harm- 

 lefs little animal. 



OF THE 



OPPOSSUM KIND. 



THESE feem to unite the monkey and the rat ; are lefs than the 

 former J have long tails, almoft bare 3 their fur, as well as their 

 lliape, refcmbling the rat kind. Some have ranked them in thatclafsj 

 but their being four-handed is fufficient diltinciiion. 



The Oppofium is found in N. and S. America, in Java, &c. the fize of 

 a fmall cat. The head refembles a fox j has fifty teeth in all, tvvo great 

 ones in the midft, like thofe of a rat; eyes little, round, clear, lively, 

 placed upright ; ears long, broad, tranfparent, like thofe of the rac 

 kind ; its tail round, long, a little hairy in the beginning, but quite 

 naked towards the end ; fore-legs fiiort, about three inches long ; thofe 

 behind, four. The feet are like hands, 'each having five fingers, v/hh 

 white crooked nails, rather longer behind than before. In this animal, 

 the thumb on the hinder-leg wants a nail, whereas the fingers, are fur- 

 nifhed with clawed nails as ufual. Remarkable for a falfe womb, into 

 which the young, when brought forth, creep, and continue to lodge 

 and fuckle fecurely ; which is thus dcfcribed : 



Undtrr the belly of the female is a kind of flit or opening, three inches 

 long, compofed of a fkin, which makes a bag internally, covered on the 

 infide with hair; herein are the teats of the female, and into it the 

 young retire. This bag is opened or fliuc at the will of the animal, and 



fo 



