THE VIRGINIAN OPOSSUM. 185 



tail, fifteen. It is covered with a light gray hair of wool-like 

 softness, short on the face and body, but long on the legs. 

 The base end of the tail is thick and black, and is covered 

 with small scales. So powerful is this member that the 

 opossum can hold on with it to the bough of a tree, and even 

 when desperately wounded it does not let go. Its face is 

 long and sharpened, the mouth very determined, and armed 

 with numerous sharp teeth. It has thin, naked, round, and 

 blackish ears, edged with a border of white. It has short 

 legs, the feet being armed with claws, and the interior toes of 

 the hind-feet are flat and rounded. 



It has the power of emitting a disagreeable odour when 

 chased or alarmed. When pursued, it makes for the nearest 

 tree ; and should it discover the approach of a hunter and 

 his dogs when already up a tree, instead of taking to flight, 

 it lies close along the branch, endeavouring to hide itself. 

 When moving amidst the boughs, it swings itself from branch 

 to branch by means of its tail ; and it may be observed at 

 times hanging down, with its eyes \ ,'le.open, on the look-out 

 for any birds which may incautiously alight 011 the bough 

 above, or pass within its grasp. 



It is very voracious, feeding on small quadrupeds and 

 birds of all sorts ; while it does not disdain to prey off a 

 brood of young cotton rats and mice, and devours insects and 

 a variety of reptiles. When unable to find sufficient food in 

 the forest, or too lazy to look for it, it will, without hesita- 

 tion, make a raid into the farmer's poultry-yard, and carry 

 oft' or kill his fowls, and eat up any eggs it may find. The 

 opossum does not always indulge in animal diet, for he 

 climbs fruit-trees to carry off their luscious productions ; and 

 for the sake of obtaining maize, of which he is especially 



