THE OPOSSUM. 229 



Description Avidity for poultry. 



THE VIRGINIAN OPOSSUM. 



THIS animal is about the size of a small cat; 

 but the upright growth of its fur causes it to ap- 

 pear considerably thicker. Its general colour 

 is a dingy white. The head is long, and shar- 

 pened ; and the mouth wide. The tail is about 

 afoot long; prehensile; hairy near its origin; 

 but afterwards covered with a scaly skin, which 

 gives it the appearance of a snake. The legs 

 are short, and blackish; and the two interior toes 

 are flat and rounded, with nails like those of a 

 monkey : the rest are armed with sharp claws. 

 But the peculiar characteristic of the female 

 opossum is an abdominal pouch, for the protec- 

 tion and preservation of her young; some of 

 these have two, and some three cavities, which 

 can be opened and shut at pleasure. 



When on the ground, this creature appears 

 very helpless : the formation of its hands prevent- 

 ing it from either running or walking very fast; 

 but notwithstanding this defect, it is able to as- 

 cend trees with the utmost facility : in which 

 situation, by the help of its prehensile tail, it is 

 more active than most other quadrupeds. It 

 hunts eagerly after birds and their nests; and is 

 very destructive to poultry, of which it sucks the 

 blood without eating the flesh. It also eats roots, 

 wild fruits, &c. 



