THE OPOSSUM. 121 
The food of the Myrmecobius is supposed chiefly to consist of ants and simi- 
lar diet, as it is generally found inhzbiting localities where ants most abound. 
For this kind of food it is well fitted by its long tongue, which is nearly.as 
thick as a common black-lead pencil, and is capable of protrusion to some 
distance. In confinement a specimen of the Myrmecobius was accustomed 
to feed on bran among other sub- 
stances. It is known that in the 
wild state it will eat hay, as well as 
the “manna” that exudes from the 
branches of the Eucalypti. ‘ 
It is a very gentle animal in its 
disposition, as, when captured, it 
does not bite or scratch, but only 
vents its displeasure in a series of 
little grunts when it finds that it is 
unable to make its escape. The 
number of its young is rather 
various, but averages from five to 
eight. The usual habitation of the 
Myrmecobius is placed in the de- 
cayed trunk of a fallen tree, or, in 
default of such lodging, is made in 
a hollow in the ground. It is a 
native of the borders of the Swan 
River. 
THERE are very few of the mar- 
supiated acumals which are more 
remarkable for their form, their 
habits, or tneir character, than the 
Opossums of America. They are 
nearly all admirable climbers, and 
are assisted in their scansorial 
efforts by their long prehensile tails, 
which are covered with. scales, 
through the interstices of which a 
few short black hairs protrude. The 
hinder feet are also well adapted 
for climbing, as the thumb is op- 
posable to the other toes, so that 
the animal is able to grasp the 
branch of a tree with considerable 
force, and to suspend its whole body 
together with the additional weight 
of its prey or its young. 
The VIRGINIAN or COMMON 
OPOSSUM is, as its name implies, a 
native of Virginia as well as of 
many other portions of the United 
States of America. In size it 
equals a tolerably large cat, being 
rather more than three feet in - 
total length, the head and body measuring twenty-two inches, and the tail 
fifteen. The colour of this animal is a greyish white, slightly tinged with 
yellow, and diversified by occasional long hairs that are white towards their 
base, but of a brownish hue towards their points. These brown-tipped hairs 
opossum. —(Didephys Virginiana.) 
