336 DIVISION I. VERTEBRAL ANIJIALS. — CLASS I. MAMMALIA. 



ears nrc iisvially of moderate size, and generally naked ; tlie tip of the muzzle 

 anil nridcr surface of tiie I'eet are likewise naked. The fur of these animals is 

 generally more or less woolly or frizzled. The stomach is simple and small, 

 and tiic ciwum is of moderate size. The clavicles are well developed. 



"The young <if tiie opossums, in the earlier stage of their existence, are 

 carried in the pouch of tiio mother, which tliey sometimes quit, but return to 

 it in times of danger ; hut in some species the pouch is wanting, or exists 

 merely in a rudimentary state, being represented liy small folds of skin. 

 The young of tiiese, when very small, remain attached to the nipple of the 

 parent, but wlien of larger size they quit this, and are carried on her back, 

 where they hold themselves, by entwining their prehensile tails around the 

 bodv of the parent. 



"'i'iicsc animals are nocturnal, and remain bid<lcn during the daytime in 

 the hollows of trees, on their branches, or in t]ii(/kets. In the night tliey 

 wander forth in search of food, attacking birds, and sucking tiieir iilood like 

 the weasels, or tlieir oggs. Tliey moreover feed upon reptiles and insects, 

 and do not even refuse fruits; their diet, in fact, is omnivorous." 



I>. V!r<jini<in«. — I'he \'irginian Opossum. We have often met this ani- 

 mal in the forests of ^'irginia, but it is frequent in all the Southern States. 

 It is one of the largest of tiiis genus, of a robust form, about thirty-seven 

 inches in length, including the tail, which is fifteen inches. The fur is long 

 and woolly, with very long hairs intersjiersed on the up[)cr parts of the 

 body. Tlic general color is dirty-white, with a j-ellowish hue ; tiie legs 

 dark brcnvn, and the eyes arc surrounded with the same tint. Tlie tail at 

 the liase is covered with fur like tlie body, the remaining portion being cov- 

 ered with scales. Its prehensile power makes it an important and useful 

 organ. 



The animal is very mischievous, and does much damage in poultiy-3-ards, 

 ■where it destroys large numbers of chickens, sucking the blood without eat- 

 ing the ilesh. "It feeds also on roots and fruits, and is very active in 

 climbing trees ; will hang suspended from the branches by its tail, and by 

 swin^inLT its body, flin"- itself amonn- t!ic bou"-hs of the neighlioring trees ; 

 continues frequently hanging witli its head downwards ; hunts eagerly after 

 birds and their nests ; walks very slowly ; when pursued and overtaken, 

 will feign itself dead ; not easily killed, being as tenacious of life as a cat. 

 Wlicn the female is about to In-ing fortli, she makes a thick nest of dry 

 grass in some close brush at the foot of a tree. The number of young varies 

 from twelve to sixteen. At their l)irth the young are scarcely more than a 

 grain in weight, blind, naked, and shtqieless, nevei-thcless they find the teats 

 in the poucli, to which they fasten themselves so closely that they cannot be 

 separated without difficulty. AVhen they have attained the size of a mouse. 



