VIRGINIAN OPOSSUM. 
small, black, lively eyes. There are longsriti 
hairs on each side of the nose, and behind th'e 
'eyes. The face is covered with short, soft, 
white Jiairs ; the space round the eyes being 
dusky. The neck is ver\^ short; and, it's sides 
are of a dirty yellow, but the hind part, as 
well as the entire back of the animal, is co- 
vered with soft, uneven hairs, two inches long, 
the bottoms of which are of a yellowish 
white, the middle parts black, and tlie ends 
whitish. The sides are clothed with dirty and 
dusky hair; the belly is covered with soft, 
woolly, dirty white hair; the legs and thighs 
are black ; the feet duskv ; and the claws 
white. The base of the tall is covered with 
long hairs, like those of the back ; but the rest 
of the tail is covered with small scales r the 
half next the body is black, the rest white. 
This tail, which has a disgusting appearance, 
from it^s similitude to the bodv of a snake, 
possesses the same prehensile qualitv as that of 
some monkies. .On the lower part of the belly 
of the female there is a large pouch ; in which 
the teats are placed, and where ih.e voung shel- 
ter. This species, which inliabits Virginia, 
Louisiana, Me.xieo, Brazil, and P;-ru, is very 
dcstruaiv': 
