CHAPTER XIII 



OPOSSUM 



The American Opossum is found in the central and southern 

 states, as far north as Iowa and as far west as Kansas. In the states 

 of Missouri, Illinois, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Texas, Tennessee, Ken- 

 tucky, Indiana, Ohio, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, Virginia, West 

 Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Louisiana, opposum 

 are found in great numbers. Opossum fur is very popular with 

 American furriers and large quantities are also exported to Europe. 

 It takes most any shade of dye on account of its light grey color, 

 and the opossum is valuable not only for its fur, but it is also valuable 

 as a food. The flesh of the opossum is highly prized in some sections 

 of the South, especially by the colored people who are very fond,of 

 it. In fact, fat, well-baked opossum with sweet potatoes is said to 

 be a dish fit for a king. 



In the Fall of the year the opossum feeds on corn, berries, paw- 

 paws, persimmons and mice. The opossum is a splendid climber and 

 is able to hold his weight by encircling a limb of a tree with its tail, 

 thus leaving both fore feet free. According to the fruit growers 

 he is a big eater. The opossum is able to support itself by means 

 of this tail for hours at a time, and it is often said that they sleep 

 in this position. The opossum are hunted at night and when one or 

 more are found in a small tree they are shaken out or knocked out 

 with a long stick. As soon as they hit the ground they will feign 

 death or what is known among trappers as "Playing 'Possum". 

 They will remain in this state as long as any one is around where 

 they are. Some hunters take advantage of this fact by encircling 

 their tail aroimd a stick, thus carrying them with little or no trouble. 



The opossum is a great climber, but rather awkward on the 

 ground, his running gait being a series of awkward leaps. They do 

 most of their prowling at night and prefer darkness to light. They 

 usually sleep throughout the day in hollow trees, brush piles, or 

 holes in the sides of the hills or bluffs. The opossum lives with its 

 mate only during the pairing time, usually roaming around in solitary 

 fashion during the rest'of the year. Some^^trappers claim that the 



