HABITS OF THE OPOSSUM 191 



ages on the ground quite as successfully as a raccoon. Usu- 

 ally it burrows under the roots of a large tree, where it is 

 impossible for a hunter to dig it out, but sometimes it makes 

 the mistake of entering a hollow log. Like the bear and wood- 

 chuck, it stores up under its skin a plentiful supply of fat for 

 winter use, when food is scarce and dear. Above all, the 

 female has a nice, warm pouch in which to carry and protect 

 her helpless young, instead of leaving them in the nest to 

 catch their death of cold or to be eaten by some enemy. 



The young of the Opossum vary in number from seven 

 to eleven. Not until they are about five weeks old do they 

 begin to venture away from the mother; and for a further 

 period they are very careful not to get beyond grabbing dis- 

 tance of her shaggy coat. 



The Opossum is a very hairy animal. Its under fur is 

 woolly and white, and the outer coat is straight, coarse and 

 tipped with black. The nose, lips and half the ear are pinkish 

 white, and the eyes are like a pair of shoe-buttons. The tail 

 is naked, white and strongly prehensile. 



A large specimen has a head-and-body length of 15 inches, 

 tail 12 inches, and the weight of a large specimen is 12 pounds. 

 In the South the flesh of this animal is much prized as food, 

 and I can testify that when properly roasted and served with 

 nicely browned sweet potatoes and yellow corn bread, it is 

 an excellent dish. 



One habit of this animal is so remarkable and so widely 

 known that it has passed into a proverb, — "playing 'Possum." 

 When found by hunters, the Opossum deliberately feigns 

 death, hoping to escape by being "left for dead." Give it a 



