CAPTURE OF ANIMALS. 67 



call the Wolverene the Evil One or Devil. They are seldom 

 caught in traps, and the most successful way of destroying 

 them is said to be by strychnine. 



THE OPOSSUM. 



This animal inhabits the warmer parts of the United States, 

 and several species of it are said to exist also in Australia. 

 In form it somewhat resembles the common house rat. Its 

 body is about twenty inches long, stoutly built, and its tail, 

 which is generally fifteen inches in length, is prehensile, like 

 that of some monkeys, i. e., capable of holding on to any 

 thing that it encircles. The Opossum is five-toed, and walks 

 on the sole of its foot like the bear. Its ears are large, 

 rounded, and almost naked. The female has from nine to 

 thirteen teats, the odd one being in the centre of the ring 

 formed by the rest. The fur is long, soft, and woolly, whitish 

 at the roots, and brown at the top. The Opossum is omniv- 

 orous, feeding on corn, nuts, berries, roots, insects, young 

 birds, eggs, mice, &c. It is nocturnal in its habits ; hiding in 

 the thick foliage of the trees in the daytime, and seeking its 

 food by night. It is an active climber, and is said to spend 

 much of its time and even to sleep suspended from the limb 

 of a tree by the tail ! The females are very prolific, producing 

 from nine to thirteen young at a birth, and three or even four 

 litters in a year. They are provided with a pouch under the 

 belly, in which they protect and suckle their young. 



These animals are trapped in the same manner as the rac- 

 coon and the badger, by setting traps in their haunts, and bait- 

 ing with any of their favorite kinds of food. They have a 

 habit, when caught, of feigning death, and will bear consid- 

 erable torture without betraying any signs of life. This habit 

 doubtless gave rise to the common by-word which calls cer- 

 tain kinds of deceit " playing 'possum." 



THE SKUNK. 



This animal, though generally much despised in this coun- 

 try, is said to furnish the staple fur to Poland, and deserves 

 at least the respectful attention of the trapper. It is related 



