216 ' MAMMALIA — OPOSSUM. 



on the ground, entirely plantigrade, which gives an appearance of clumsi- 

 ness to his movements. When on the branches of trees, he moves with 

 much greater ease, and with perfect security from sudden gusts of wind ; 

 even were his weight sufficient to break the limb on which he rests, there 

 is no danger of his falling to the earth, unless when on the loAvest branch, 

 as he can certainly catch, and securely cling, to the smallest intervening 

 twigs, either with the hands or the extremity of the tail. This organ is 

 always employed by the animal, while on the smaller branches of trees, as 

 if to guard against such an occurrence, and it is very useful in aiding the 

 opossum to collect his food, by enabling him to suspend himself from a 

 branch above, while rifling a bird's nest of its eggs, or gathering fruits. 



"The food of the opossum varies very much, according to circumstances. 

 It preys upon birds, various small quadrupeds, eggs, and, no doubt, occasion- 

 ally upon insects. The poultry yards are sometimes visited, and much 

 havoc committed by the opossum, as, like the weasel, this animal is fonder 

 of cutting the throats and sucking the blood of a number of individuals, than 

 of satisfying his hunger by eating the flesh of one. Among the wild fruits, 

 the persimon, {Diospyros Virginiana,) is a gi-eat favorite, and it is generally 

 after this fruit is in perfection, that the opossum is killed by the country 

 people for the market. At that season it is very fat, and but little difference 

 is to be perceived between this fat and that of a young pig. The flavor of 

 the flesh is compared to that of a roasted pig : Ave have, in several instances, 

 seen it refused by dogs and cats, although the opossum was in fine order, 

 and but recently killed. This may have been owing to some accidental 

 circumstance, but it was uniformly rejected by these animals, usually not 

 very nice when raw flesh is offered. 



" The hunting of the opossum is a favorite sport with the country people, 

 who frequently go out with their dogs at night, after the autumnal frosts 

 have begun, and the persimon fruit is in its most delicious state. The 

 opossum, as soon as he discovers the approach of his enemies, lies perfectly 

 close to the branch, or places himself snugly in the angle where two limbs 

 separate from each other. The dogs, however, soon announce the fact of 

 his presence, by their baying, and the hunter, ascending the tree, discovers 

 the branch upon which the animal is seated, and begins to shake it with 

 great violence, to alarm, and cause him to relax his hold. This is soon 

 effected, and the opossum, attempting to escape to another limb, is pursued 

 immediately, and the shaking is renewed with greater violence, until at 

 length the terrified quadruped allows himself to drop to the ground, where 

 hunters, or dogs, are prepared to dispatch him. 



"Should the hunter, as frequently happens, be unaccompanied by dogs 

 when the opossum falls to the ground, it does not immediately make its 

 escape, but steals slowly and quietly to a little distance, and then gather- 

 ing itself into as small a compass as possible, remains as still as if dead. 

 Should there be any quantity of grass or underwood near the tree, this 



