VIRGINIAN OPOSSUM. 
109 
COLOUR. 
The woolly hair on the upper surface of the body, when blown aside, is 
white at the base and black at the tips ; the long interspersed hairs are 
mostly white ; a few towards the points exhibit shades of dark brown and 
black ; moustaches, white, and black ; eyes, black ; ears, black, at base, 
the borders edged with white to near the extremities, where they are 
broadly patched with white ; snout and toes, flesh coloured ; face, neck, 
and nails, yellowish white ; a line of dark brown commences on the fore- 
head, widens on the head, and extends to the shoulders — there is also a 
line of dark brown under the chest ; the feet in most specimens are brown- 
ish black ; we have seen an occasional one where they were reddish 
brown; tail, brown. 
The ymung differ somewhat in colour from the old ; they are uniform- 
ly lighter in colour, the head being quite white, wdth a very distinct black 
dorsal line commencing faintly on the hind head, and running down the 
back to near the rump. 
DIMENSIONS. 
A well grown female : 
From point of nose to root of tail, . . - • 
Length of tail, 
Height of ear, 
Breadth of ear, 
Orifice of the distended pouch in diameter. 
Teats measured immediately after the young had been 
withdrawn, -------- 
Weight, 12lbs. 
Young, ten days old, nostrils open, ears pretty well developed : 
Length of head and body, li 
Tail, i 
Weight, 22 grains. 
HABITS. 
In our first volume (pp. Ill, 112) we have spoken of the curiosity ea- 
gerly indulged, and the sensations excited, in the minds of the discoverers 
of our country, on seeing the strange animals that they met with. Travel- 
lers in unexplored regions are likely to find many unheard-of objects in 
nature that awaken in their minds feelings of wonder and admiration. 
We can imagine to ourselves the surprise with which the Opossum was 
Inches. 
m 
12 
H 
15i 
1 
