32a 



UNITED STATES. 



Opossum.^ ^•Dideliihis ofiossum.* ..The opossum 

 of the United States is the most curious animal in 

 the world. It is about the size of a cat ; it appears, 

 however, from the upright growth of its fur to be 

 much thicker. Its general colour is a dingy white ; 

 its head is long and sharpened ; its mouth wide, ears 

 thin, naked, round, and blackish, but edged with a 

 white border. The tail is about a foot long, pre- 

 hensile, hairy at its origin, but afterwards covered 

 with a scaly skin, which gives it very much the 

 appearance of a snake. The legs are short, black- 

 ish, and all the toes, except the two interior ones, 

 which are flat and rounded, with nails like those of 

 the monkey-tribe, are armed with sharp claws. 



When it is on the ground the opossum appears to 

 be a very helpless animal: the formation of its hands 

 prevents it from either running or walking very fast, 

 but in recompense for this apparent defect, it is able 

 to ascend trees with the utmost facility and expedi- 

 tion ; and, by the help of its prehensile tail, it is 

 more active in this situation than most quadrupeds. 

 It hunts eagerly after birds and their nests, and is 

 very destructive to poultry, of which it sucks the 

 blood without eating the flesh. It also eats roots and 

 wild fruits. 



When it is pursued and overtaken it will feign 

 itself dead, till the danger is over. They never 

 move till their disturber is either gone to a distance, 

 or has hidden himself, on which they endeavour to 

 scramble, with as much expedition as possible, intq 

 5?Qme hole or bush^ 



