THE POUCHED RATS—COMMON OPOSSUM. 



591 



of the Marsupials. Its proportions are about the 

 same as those of a common Squirrel. The coloring 

 is very peculiar. The ochre yellow tint of the an- 

 terior upper part, which appears lighter by reason 

 of being interspersed with white hair, gradually 

 deepens into black on the greater part of the poste- 

 rior half of the body and is diversified with white or 

 reddish, transverse stripes. The principal food of 

 the Ant-eater is implied by its name. Hence, it is 

 mainly found in those woodlands in which Ants 

 'occur in large numbers. It stretches out its tongue 

 into the teeming heap, after the fashion of the Ant- 

 bear, and quickly withdraws it, as soon as a multi- 

 tude of the enraged insects have fastened on to it. 

 It is also said to consume other insects and occasion- 

 ally it eats the resin which exudes from the branches 

 of the eucalyptus, or even grass. 



Quite unlike the preceding carnivorous forms, the 

 Ant-eater is entirely inoffensive. It readily resigns 

 jtself to captivity, which usually proves fatal to it, as 



ring chiefly in the South American belt, since only 

 one species, also represented in the southern conti- 

 nent, is found in North America. Nearly all of the 

 species live in the forest or in the underbrush, taking 

 up their abodes in hollow trees, holes in the ground, 

 among thick grass and in bushes. One species in- 

 habits the banks of small rivers, being an excellent 

 swimmer, and it seeks shelter in burrows. All are 

 nocturnal in their habits and lead a solitary, roving 

 life. Their gait when walking on level ground is 

 rather slow and unsteady, and the mode is plariti- 

 grade. Most species of this family can climb on 

 trees, suspend themselves by means of their prehen- 

 sile tails and remain in that attitude for hours. 

 Among their perceptive senses that of smell seems 

 to be best developed. The mental faculties are of a 

 very low grade, though it can not be denied that 

 they possess a certain degree of cunning, and they 

 are especially skillful in evading any kind of trap. 

 Their food consists of small mammals, birds and 



-This animal of diabolical name is ugly enough to deserve it, is savage and untamable, ferocious and destruc- 

 eni', . . , 



retreats in the interior of the island. (Sarcofhilus urisinus.) 



tive. '?t^b^^^'ToS^daw'e an enemrirthe poulTr7yarlis"oT"thrT7sman^^^^^^ have nearly exterminated it, except in a few 



the necessary food is procured with 

 sufficient quantities. The number of 

 l)irth is said to range between five and 



difficulty in 

 young at a 

 eight. 



^be poucbe^ IRats. 



SIXTH FAHILY: Didelphyid.e. 



The Pouched Rats constitute the third family of 

 the suborder; they attain at most the size of a Cat, 

 but often do not exceed that of a Mouse. The body 

 is stout, the head more or less pointed at the snout. 

 The tail is usually long, bare at the tip and prehen- 

 sile; sometimes it is short and more or less hairy; 

 the hinder legs are slightly longer than the fore 

 pair, the paws are five-toed, webbed in one genus, 

 and the hinder great toes are opposable to the other 

 digits of the feet. The females of some species are 

 destitute of pouch; in others it exists, and opens 

 more frequently backward than forward. The denti- 

 tion is of a decidedly carnivorous character. 



In former periods Pouched Rats were also found 

 in Europe, but now only inhabit America, being ar- 

 ranged in two genera and twenty-four species, occur- 



their eggs, and probably also includes small reptiles, 

 insects and their grubs and worms; in times of scar- 

 city they also feed on fruit. The aquatic forms feed 

 principally on fish, while the larger species frequent 

 human habitations and slay all the weaker animals 

 they can get hold of, reveling in their blood and 

 really intoxicating themselves with it. Their voices 

 are heard only when they are ill-treated, and then 

 they utter peculiar, hissing sounds. When pursued 

 they never defend themselves, but resort to dissimu- 

 lation, when they can no longer hide themselves. 

 When in anguish they give forth a disgusting, gar- 

 lic-like odor. 



THE COMMON OPOSSUM. 



The Common or Virginian Opossum {Didelphys 

 marsupialis) is probably the best known of the 

 Pouched Rats. Neither its hue nor any grace or 

 charm of manper distinguishes the animal, and thus 

 it is justly held to be a repulsive looking creature. 

 The length of body is nearly nineteen inches and 

 the tail measures about seventeen inches. The latter 

 is quite thick, round and tapering, hairy only at the 

 base, and naked from that point to the end; it is 



