190 POUCHED MAMMALS 
North American representative is about as widely known as 
all the tropical species combined. 
Tue VireintA Opossum! is a typical marsupial, but 
differs widely from all the Australian members of that Order. 
VIRGINIA OPOSSUMS. 
Seemingly it is a dull-witted, slow-moving creature, and so ill- 
fitted by Nature either to fight or to run away, that it might 
be considered almost defenceless. But let us see what use 
this odd little animal makes of the physical and mental equip- 
ment which Nature has given it. 
It eats almost everything that can be chewed,—wild fruit, 
berries, green corn, insect larvae, eggs, young birds and 
quadrupeds, soft-shelled nuts and certain roots. It is a 
good climber, and has a very useful prehensile tail. It for- 
1 Di-del'phis vir-gin-i-an’a, 
