4o2 HISTORY OF 



long, a little hairy in the beginning, but quite naked towards the 

 end. The forelegs are short, being about three inches long; 

 while those behind are about four. The feet are like hands, 

 each having five toes or fingers with white crooked nails, and 

 rather longer behind than before. But it is particular in this 

 animal, that the thumb on the hinder legs wants a nail; whereas 

 the fingers are furnished with clawed nails as usual. 



But that which distinguishes this animal from all others, and 

 what has excited the wonder of mankind for moie than two cen- 

 turies, is the extraordinary conformation of its belly, as it is 

 found to have a false womb, into which the young, when brought 

 forth in the usual manner, creep, and continue for some days 

 longer, to lodge and suckle securely. This bag, if we may so 

 call it, being one of the most extraordinary things in natural his- 

 tory, requires a more minute description. Under the belly of 

 the female is a kind of slit or opening, of about three inches 

 long ; this opening is composed of a skin, which makes a bag 

 internally, that is covered on the inside with hair, and in this 

 bag are the teats of the female ; and into it the young, when 

 brought forth, retire either to suckle or to escape from danger. 

 This bag has a power of opening and shutting, at the will of the 

 animal ; and this is performed by means of several muscles, and 

 two bones, that are fitted for this purpose, and that are peculiar 

 to this animal only. These bones are placed before the os pubis, 

 to which they are joined at the base ; they are about two inches 

 long, and grow smaller and smaller to their extremities. These 

 support the muscles that serve to open the bag, and give them 

 a fixture. To these muscles there are antagonists, that serve in 

 ihe same manner to shut the bag ; and this they perform so ex- 

 actly, that in the living animal the opening can scarcely be dis- 

 .•erned, except when the sides are forcibly drawn asunder. The 

 inside of this bag is furu'shed with glands that exude a musky 

 substance, which communicates to the flesh of the animal, and 

 renders it unfit to be eaten. It is not to be supposed that this 

 ;s the place where the young are conceived, as some have been 

 led to imagine ; for the opossum has another womb, like that ot 

 •he generality of animals, in which generation is performed i.i 

 the ordinary manner. The bag we have been describing may 

 rather be considered as a supi)lemental womb. In the real 

 womb, the little animal is partly brought to perfection j in the 



