102 



mam:malia. 



tries, -ivlicrc t!ie\- coiu;titute, very nearly unleed, the only raanimiferous animals; Ijut fossil 

 remains of them occur, sparingly, in tlie ancient secondary deposits of Euroi)e, ^vhere 

 Intlicrto no higher Mammalia have been detected. Consequently, the Marsupiafa would 

 appear to have been much earlier introduced upon our planet; a further imhcation, it not 

 of their inferiority, at least of their intrmsical scparateness as a group : there is reason 

 also to suspect that at former c])ochs they were much more numerous, as well as generally 

 (hffused, than at jn'csent/^] 



The tirst subdivision of them is distinguished by long canines, and small incisors to 

 each jaw ; the back molars are beset with pointed tubercles, and the general character of 

 the teeth is the same as in the Insectivora, which these animals entirely resemble in their 

 regimen. 



The Opossums {Diddjih'is, Lin.), — 



"Wliich of all the Marsi'pkila have been tlie longest known, coni[Hjsc a genus peculiar to America. 

 They have ten incisors al)Ove, and eiglit lii.low ; three anterior compressed molars, and four s]iar[i]y 

 tuberculated back molars, the superior of wliicli are triangular, the mferior oblong: so tliru, with the 

 four canines, tliey have in all fifty teeth, a number greater than has as yet been observed iu any other 

 quadrupi.-d.t Their tongue is bristled, and tlie tail prehensile and in part naked ; the hinder thumb is 

 long and effectively opposable to the four other digits, "whence the name Pedunana has been applied 

 to these animals; it is not furnished with a nail. Their extremely wide mouth, and large naked ears, 

 give thoui a peculiar iihysiognoujy. The glau^ penis is bifurcated. Tliey are fetid and nocturnal 

 animals, wIiomj gait is slow ; nestle upon trees, and there pursue birds, insects, c^c., without rejecthiL^^ 

 fruit : their stomaeh is small and simple, and the cacnm moderate and without enlargements. 



The females of eertaiti species have a deep pouch, wherein are jilaccd their teats, and in whieh the 

 young aru inclosed. 



Tlie Common Opossum {B.virglniana, Pc-n. (li^. 41.) 

 — Isearlytlie size of a Cat: fur, a mixture of black 

 an 1 white: it inhabits the whole of America, enters 

 tl Tilla'jres at nii^^ht, and attacks poultry, devour- 



I tbeir tgL;'s, &c. The youn^ at birth, sometinjes 

 \tcen in number, weiRh only a grain each. Al- 



tl ut^h bhnd and nearly shapeless, they lind tlie 

 n I I le by instinct, and adhere until they have at- 

 t ed the size of a Mouse, wliich happens about the 

 n t 'th day, at whiclf epoch they open their eyes. 



II ey continue to i-oturn to the pouch until they are 

 larfi^e as Rats. Tlie term of uterine gestation 

 ily twenty-six days. [Several others are known ; 

 of which] the Crab-eating' Opossnm {D. cancrh 

 .V), frrqiienls the marshes of the sea-coast, where 



t I eds chiefly upon cralis. 



Other species possess no pouch, l)ut merely a 



^°^ %estige of it, or fold of skin on each side of the 



V I IK- They habitually carry ti'-o- -.-.-.M^m ,-,,. 



■ks, the tails of the laitci 

 at of the nn:)tlier. 



[A eoiK^deralile number are ku' 

 Vuierica.] 



yoiin 

 eutuincd 



iwu, from .South 



The Yapach {Cheirouectes, Illig.) — 

 [Is merely an aquatic Opossum, with semi-pal- 

 mate toes.] 



still remo 

 ler sniutit 

 it.s favour. 



'tb jiidice ; and 

 the dirticulty 



