THE VIRGINIAN OPOSSUM. 383 



nipples, till they arc large enough to run about. 

 — The Opossums are principally confined to the New 

 Continent, and only one species has yet been disco- 

 vered as a native of Europe. 



Besides the abdominal pouch already mentioned, 

 the characters of the present tribe are, ten front- 

 teeth in the upper, and eight in the lower jaw ; in 

 the former of which the two middle ones are the 

 longest, but in the latter are broader and very short. 

 The canine-teeth are long, and the grinders indent- 

 ed. The tongue is somewhat rough, being furnish- 

 ed with pointed papillce. 



THE VIRGINIAN OPOSSUM* 



Is about the size of a small Cat : from the upright 

 growth of its fur, it appears however, to be much 

 thicker. Its general colour is a dingy white. The 

 head is long, and sharpened ; and the mouth wide. 

 The tail is about a foot long ; prehensile ; hairy at 

 its origin, but afterwards covered with a scaly skin 

 which gives it very much the appearance of a snake. 

 The legs are short, and blackish ; and all the toes 

 (except the two interior ones, which are fiat and 

 rounded, with nails like those of the Monkey tribe) 

 are armed with sharp cknvs. 



When it is on the ground this Opossum appears to 

 be very helpless. The formation of its hands pre- 

 vents it from either running or walking very fast : 



* Synonyms. — Didelphis Virginiana. Shav. — Didelphis Marsupia- 

 lis. Didelphis Opossum ? Linn. — Opossum. PAU. Tz-j/i.— ^'irginiau 

 Opossum. S/iaz;. Shav's Gin. ZeoLpl. 107. 



