78 THE OPOSSUMS. 



The fore-feet in the Opossums are furnished with 

 five well developed toes, which are armed with 

 tolerahly strong, compressed, and curved claws ; the 

 outer and inner toes are shorter than the others. The 

 hind feet are furnished with four toes, having the 

 same kind of claws as those of the fore feet, and a 

 large inner clawless toe, (formed like a thumb,) 

 which is opposed to the other toes. The tail is 

 usually long, always more or less prehensile, spar- 

 ingly covered with hair, and exhibiting scales, like 

 the tail of a rat. The ears are usually of moderate 

 size, and generally naked ; the tip of the muzzle and 

 under surface of the feet are likewise naked. The 

 fur of these animals is generally more or less woolly 

 or frizzled. The stomach is simple and small ; and 

 the caecum is of moderate size. The clavicles are 

 well developed. 



The young of the Opossums, in the earlier stage 

 of their existence, are carried in the pouch of the 

 mother, which they sometimes quit, but return to 

 in times of danger; but in some species the pouch 

 is wanting, or exists merely in a rudimentary state, 

 being represented by small folds of skin. The young 

 of these, when very small, remain attached to the 

 nipple of the parent, but when of larger size they 

 quit this, and are carried on her back, where they 

 hold themselves, by entwining their prehensile tails 

 around that of the parent. 



These animals are nocturnal, and remain hidden 

 during the day time in the hollows of trees, on their 

 branches, or in thickets. In the night they wander 



