370 ON THE 



Opossum, which, in every respect, may be con- 

 sidered a carnivorous animals. 



But the most curious part of its mechanism, is 

 the abdominal pouch of the female, in which is 

 completed the formation of its young, and which 

 afterwards serves as a retreat for it, until it finally 

 quits its parent. 



This bag is produced by a folding or doubling 

 of the common integuments at the lower part of 

 the abdomen, so as to form an open pouch which 

 admits of the offspring passing- out, and returning 

 at pleasure ; arid this outlet by the agency of in- 

 ternal muscles, can, at the will of the animal, be 

 so firmly closed, as hardly to be perceptible to 

 the naked eye, and then not to be opened, but by 

 the greatest mechanical force. 



Within this extra receptacle, the young of the 

 Kangaroo, and of the Opossum tribes, are com- 

 pleted in their form, and are suckled ; the former 

 not quitting it, until it has reached the size of a 

 small poodle Dog; and continuing to make use 

 of it as a retreat, for a considerable period after 

 it can help itself; jumping in and out with great 

 great rapidity, as is the practice also of the young 

 Opossums. Thus the young of the Kangaroo and 

 of the Opossum tribes, are better secured 

 against external injury, than those perhaps of any 

 other animal ; but why this deviation from that 

 general rule which obtains in all other Quadrupeds, 

 should be confined to those tribes* and which, with 



