FUR FACTS 



105 



opossum has no fixed habitation, but uses any cranny or convenient 

 hollow that it may chance upon after completing its nocturnal 

 wanderings. i 





bsroM pyLL , 



OPOSSUM 



The body is about twenty infches in length, and the average 

 opossum skin after it is stretched and dried will measure about 

 twenty four inches long by about seven inches wide. The opossum 

 skins are useless for fur purposes until the undercoat of fur is fully 

 developed, which usually does not take place until late in the Fall 

 or early Winter. At this time the opossum is usually fat, especially 

 if the harvest is good. The opossum is very prolific, and the female 

 is furnished with a pouch and belongs to the Marsupial Family 

 with the kangaroo. The females produce from nine to thirteen 

 young and have three and even four litters in a year. They 

 carry the young in the pouch thus protecting them while they are 

 small and helpless. In five or six weeks the young opossum have- 

 attained the size of small mice and in about two months they are 

 usually developed sufficiently to leave the pouch. 



