MARSUPIAL ANIMALS. 





This Marsupial animal — the Sooty Tapoa — presents us with an example of the family termed Phalangers ; 

 but often, though erroneously, it is ranked among the Opossums. The Sooty Tapoa resides almost con- 

 stantly among the branches of trees. Night is the season of its activity. Its food consists principally of 

 fruits, buds, leaves, and the like ; though insects eggs, and things of that kind, are not rejected. Its 

 motions are slow and cautious. When in danger of discovery it will hang itself by the tail, head down- 

 wards, and remain motionless as if dead. It is about as large as a cat, and its general hue is a sooty brown. 

 The hair has a frizzled appearance, and is somewhat soft and fine. Its tail is long, black and bushy. When 



feeding, it sits up like the squirrel, holding the article of which it par- 

 takes between the fore-paws. It is a native of Australia. 



The Yapak bears no little resemblance to the otter. It is found in 



tl e rivers of Guiana, and the adjoining parts of South America. It is 



a small animal, not a foot in length, with a tail of six or seven inches. 



The customary food is small fishes, which it is very expert in catching. 



Its general color is greyish yellow, marked on the upper part of the 



body with blackish brown spots. Unlike the Opossums, it is incapable 



of climbing trees, and lives in holes alone the banks of rivers. It is 



said to take its young early to the water. This curious animal is fur- 



s nished with cheek-pouches of no little size and capacity. The fur of 



: the body is close, short, and somewhat crisped and cSssy. The tail, 



a Yapak except at the base, is scaly. 



(94) 



