ica. The possum was one of the first to 

 find us, and when did he land, I wonder? 

 How long before Columbus, and Leif, son 

 of Eric? 



aSSd 



In his appetite the possum is *$jA$$? 

 110 way peculiar, except, per- 

 haps, that he takes the seasons' 

 menus entire. Between persimmon- 

 times he eats all sorts of animal food, 

 and is a much better hunter than we usually 

 give him credit for. Considering his slowness, 

 too, he manages to plod over an amazing 

 amount of territory in the course of his evening 

 rambles. He starts out at dusk, and wanders 

 around all night, planning his hunt so as to 

 get back to his lair by dawn. Sometimes at 

 daybreak he is a long way from home. Not 

 being able to see well in the light, and rather 

 than run into needless danger, he then crawls 

 into the nearest hole or under the first rail-pile 

 he comes to ; or else he climbs a tree, and, 

 wrapping his tail about a limb, settles 

 himself comfortably in a forked branch 

 quite out of sight, and sleeps till dark- 

 ness comes again. 



[27] 



