THE VIRGINIAN OPOSSUM. 



receptacle to be opened, if me can prevent it, being furnilhed with the power 

 of opening or doling it by the affirmance of fome very rlrong mufcles. 



The OpofTum, when on the ground, appears to be a very helplefs animal, 

 the formation of its hands preventing it from walking fall, or running with 

 any tolerable degree of fwiftnefs ; but its alertnefs in climbing trees makes 

 ample amends for this defecl:; it afcends them with the greater! facility and 

 expedition, and, by the additional help of its prehenfile tail, is more active in 

 this lituation than molt quadrupeds, Monkeys excepted ; it hunts eagerly 

 after birds and their nefts, is very deftrucliive to poultry, of which it fucks 

 the blood without eating the flelli ; it will alfo eat roots, and wild fruits ; 

 when it is purfued and overtaken, it will feign itfelf dead, till the danger is 

 over : it is as tenacious of life as a Cat, and cannot be killed without great 

 difficulty. The female brings forth four, five, or fix young ones at a time. 



The flelh of the old animals is wholefome good food, and refembles that 

 of a fucking pig ; the fkin has a very foetid fmell : the Indian women dye 

 the hair, and weave it into their garters and girdles. 



The OpofTum is found in Virginia, Louifiana, Mexico, Brafil, and Peru. 

 Mr. de BufFon fuppofes this genus is confined to America, and warmly 

 combats the opinion of other naturalifts on this fubjecl; But Mr. Pennant 

 feems fatisned from the authority of Pifo, Valentyn, and Le Brun(A) ; who 

 have feen it both in Java and the Molucca Iilands, and from that of many 

 collectors in Holland, who have received it frequently from thofe places, 

 that a fpecies of the genus, perhaps only a variety of that juft defcribed, 

 inhabits the Indian iilands, as well as the continent of America. But this 

 matter is now put out of doubt by fome animals of this genus, which have 

 been fent from our fettlement lately eftablilhed in New South Wales. 



(a) En Indiis orientalibus, idque folum, quantum ha&enus conftat, in Amboina, fimilis Beftia (Carigueya) 

 frequens ad felis magnitudinem accidens, ma&ata ab incolis comeditur, fi rite preparetur, nam alias fcetet, 

 nomen illi Cons Cous inditum.— Pifo Brafol, 323. Le Bran, in his voyage to, the Ea£t Indies, defcribes this 

 animal under the name of Filander, i. 34/. tab. 213. 



