THE OPOSSUM. 45 



towards him in a circuitous route, until we arrived within 

 a few feet of him. He had now sunk so deep in the water 

 that an inch only of his nose, and slight portions of his 

 prongs, were seen above the surface. At length we sud- 

 denly directed our eyes towards him and raised our hands, 

 when he rushed to the shore, and dashed through the 

 rattling cane-brake in rapid style." 



Like the wapiti, the carjacou engages in furious combats 

 with rival males, and these combats end in mutual slaugh- 

 ter. He feeds upon acorns, mast, chestnuts, buds, and 

 berries ; a diet which will account for the fine quality of 

 his flesh. His senses of scent and hearing are very keen. 

 His skin is much valued by the hunter, on account of its 

 pliability. 



No one who has heard of American negToes, or of the 

 ballads of American negroes, or who has read the stories 

 of American hunters, can fail to have made acquaintance 

 with the Opossum. He belongs to the order of Marsupials, 

 and is the only pouched animal found outside of the 

 Australian region. The female is furnished with a pouch, 

 like the kangaroo, in which she carries her young ; and at 

 the bottom of it are placed the teats from which they 

 derive their nourishment. 



On first catching sight of the opossum, you would think 

 him gifted with impenetrable stupidity ; but a very short 

 observation convinces you that he is as full of tricks as the 

 most cunning of foxes. One of his favourite devices, when 

 he is surprised by the hunter, and finds escape impossible, 

 is to fall to the ground, apparently lifeless, as if mortally 



