The Opossum 65 



species, but certainly there is a great diversity among 



tin- individuals. 



i 



The opossum is about the size of a large cat, its legs 

 are short and its tail is long, scaly, and pn -In nsile; 

 its snout is long and somewhat pig-like, which accounts 

 fur the tremendous width it can open its jaws. The 

 fur is of a general yellowish color, but on the back 

 and sides a greater part of the hairs are tipped with 

 brown or black; intermingled is a liberal amount of 

 pure white hairs. The brain cavity is small, but the 

 'uses of sight and smell are well developed. 



The opossum, although upon the whole a stupid 

 animal, has one very clever habit, when attacked it 

 simulates death most successfully. At such times the 

 eyes are usually closed, the muscles are rigid^ and 

 no amount of rough handling will provoke any signs 

 of life, until an opportunity for escape presents itself, 

 when it will make all the haste of which a slow moving 

 opossum is capable. The most effectual method of 

 reviving the seemingly lifeless animal is to drop it 

 into a pool of water. The shock of this unexpected 

 procedure is apparently too much for it, and it speedily 

 seeks the shore. The immersion usually ends the 

 "playing 'possum," for it will not readily try the 

 stratagem again. This art has probably saved many 

 opossums from destruction by other animals, but the 



