326 THE MARSUPIALS, OR POUCHED ANIMALS 



or in Tasmania, or in any part of the natural history province 

 to which those countries belong. They are numerous, however, 

 and are now living on the American continent ; but formerly 

 some species inhabited Europe during that geological period 

 which is called the Eocene. They are very rat -like animals with 

 long snout and j:ail; the latter is destitute of hair, excepting 

 at the root, is covered with a scaly skin, and is prehensile. 

 The Opossums are active, shy, and very intelligent, and their food 

 chiefly consists of insects, small reptiles, birds, and eggs. Living 

 for the most part in trees, they secrete themselves in the hollows 

 of the branches and trunks during the daytime, and sally forth 

 at night. The Common Opossum (Didelphys Virginianum) is 

 a large kind about the size of a cat, and its long, large, pointed 

 head, ending in a naked snout, and having eyes encircled in dusky 

 brown fur amongst the white hair and fur of the head, gives it a 

 very cunning and thoughtful appearance. The tail is long and 

 prehensile, the end being white and the rest black, and the legs 

 and feet are brownish. It is a great climber, using its tail to 

 hold on by. Running along the branches, it will often suspend 

 itself by its tail, and give a swing and let go, thus launching its 

 body to a distance, and then it catches at the boughs with its 

 feet. In coming down trees it uses the tail to steady itself, and 

 to prevent too rapid a fall. It is essentially a North American 

 animal, and is found from Mexico to the Southern States. The 

 female brings forth from twelve to sixteen young at a time, and 

 her nest, which is formed of dry grass, is usually at the root of a 

 tree or bush. When first born, the young are said not to be more 

 than a gramme in weight, and blind, naked, and shapeless. They 

 find the teats in the mother's pouch, unless she places them 

 with her mouth, and they cling on so tightly as not to be separated, 

 except by violence. In about five days, so rapid is their growth, 

 they have reached the size of a mouse, and all their parts are 

 developed. They then leave the pouch, returning to it to suckle 

 and when danger appears. During this time the female shows 

 great attachment to her young, and Mr. Waterhouse, from whose 

 work these descriptions are taken, states that she will suffer any 

 torture rather than permit the pouch to be opened. Several 

 species of Opossum inhabit Brazil, Paraguay, Bolivia, Argentina, 

 Guiana, Chili, and Peru. 



