WILD ANIMALS IN CAPTIVITY 
will swallow full-grown mice, which should be killed, and 
held to his mouth head first. 
The earth should be changed as often as possible for 
the sake of cleanliness. 
DASYUEE {DASYURUS). 
These animals are more strictly flesh-eating than are 
the opossums,, and although they can live upon bread- 
and-milk for a time, they thrive better on flesh. They 
will eat insects ; and the smaller kinds of this species 
probably almost entirely exist on insects and small 
animals. 
OPOSSUMS {didelphys). 
These tree-climbing animals feed upon a variety of dif- 
ferent kinds of food, fruit, and animal substances. On the 
former they are not able to live entirely ; and of animal 
and insect food they appear to be most fond. 
In captivity, I find that bread-and-milk, sometimes with 
egg added, and at other times boiled rice with sugar and 
ripe fruit, will keep them in condition. They are, however, 
most fond of young birds, as well as mice and other small 
animals. Raw or cooked flesh will answer from time to 
time. 
MAGPIES. 
The young magpie can be fed on a great variety of sub- 
stances, such as raw or cooked meat, bread-and-milk, meal 
made stiff like dough, boiled rice, potatoes ; in fact, a little 
of everything that is used at table ; but supposing the 
bird is kept where there is no table, then a little raw beef, 
or cat’s meat, a hard-boiled egg mixed with a little pea- 
meal, will make the magpie a good supply of food for a 
day or two. The more the food is varied, like that of the 
rooks, the better. 
362 
