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 lowest branch, 
as he can certainly catch, and securely cling, to the smallest intervening 
twigs, either with the hands or the extremity of the tail. Thzs 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 great 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: we 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 
Jength 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 toa 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 
