THE OPOSSUM. 151 



with a dog by cutting the veins of the throat 

 with them. 



This was a true solitary racoon ; he must 

 have abjured the gambols of the troop, and 

 sedulously taken to a hermit's employment, 

 viz., eating, drinking, sleeping, and getting 

 fat. There had been no racoons near the place 

 for weeks, and he was far heavier than his 

 livelier brethren ; also, when the skin was off, 

 the fat was half an inch deep on his back, and 

 half of him roasted the same day proved a 

 most excellent feast for several persons : the 

 weather would not allow of its being hung up 

 for a few days, which no doubt would have 

 improved it. The meat was like excellent 

 roe venison with plenty of fat, which that 

 sort of venison does not possess. 



Though I shot many others by themselves 

 subsequently, yet I am sure the above was 

 the only true " solitary racoon'' that I saw 

 within range of my gun, and that the others 

 had only been separated from their companions 

 by accident. 



The sight of the first opossum I ever 

 killed strongly incited me to make myself 

 acquainted with the natural history of this 

 strange marsupial animal ; but with all my 

 trouble I could obtain no more information 



