Animal Traits. 
: wide-open mouths which, with their serried rows of teeth, seemed 
_ indeed formidable. Reynard always respected this show of ivory, 
as the raccoons did also. But in spite of all the precautions 
taken by the mothers, a strict count of children after home. was 
reached would show loss. When they were shaken off one 
would be a little late in regaining a position of safety, and in the 
hurry consequent on the fox’s arrival, this tardy scrambler would 
prove to be the one not fitted to survive. It left no legacy to its 
descendants for it never had any. The celerity with which it was 
_ Snapped up and carried off was commendable; a single squeak 
___ Preluding a mingling of protoplasms. 
; This kind of observation went on through the rainy season to 
the following November, when the waters began to subside. The 
young opossums had escaped from maternal care and were their 
own masters, when one night a stranger arrived. The feeding 
company consisted of a huge opossum, several raccoons and a 
fox, when another wild cat, younger and smaller than the one 
killed, dropped from above into the center of the feeding ground, 
now worn quite bare. The fox sprang from the earth, barking 
with every jump, as it tore through the bushes in its frantic efforts 
to escape. The, raccoons could be heard butting against the 
sleepers of the house in their lumbering flight, while poor puss 
went like a meteor through the opposite window, making a total 
_ Wreck of the dining dishes, and did not appear at the house for : 
Several days. Opossum did not run; rearing backwards toan _ 
Upright position, with wide-open mouth and such a disposition of — 
its feet that its body seemed all claws, it held its ground with a — 
snarling protest of intense anger. “The undaunted fiend what ~ 
T this might be, admired.” Opossum presented no vulnerable 
_ Point but down its throat, and it was unwise to assult in that 
_ direction. The cat got upon its feet and walked around raising 
"S paw, but seeing no good place to strike. In fact no good 
place existed. The defense was vertical, and the assault made 
_ "om a horizontal plane was alike bad from all directions. The 
east in Manceuvering for an attack got his tail within reach of 
iy left hand, the right being engaged with the lamp; the tempta- 
On to seize it was irresistible. Calling out “ puss I have you,” 
aS a firm hold was obtained, instantaneous panic ensued, and the 
fox’s method and line of flight was closely followed. Had my 
asp been as vigorous as that of Tam O’Shanter’s witches, wild 
“at would have been transformed into lynx then and there. 
