THE OPOSSUM 



(HE opossum is certainly the most dis- 

 tinctive of the North American mammals, 

 inasmuch as it is a marsupial. It seems 

 rather strange that, among so many mammals, the 

 opossum has neither kith nor kin. There was a time 

 when the whole world was inhabited by marsupials, 

 so those living to-day are the separated remnants of 

 that once universal race. 



The range of the Virginia opossum is from the lati- 

 tude of the southern part of New York State and 

 Michigan, southward to Central America. It is very 

 common in the South, and probably there is only one 

 species, but certainly there is a great diversity among 

 the individuals. 



The opossum is about the size of a large cat, its legs 

 are short and its tail is long, scaly, and prehensile; 

 its snout is long and somewhat pig-like, which accounts 

 for the tremendous width it can open its jaws. The 

 fur is of a general yellowish color, but on the back 



and sides a greater part of the hairs are tipped with 



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