428 
OPOSSUM TR£BE, &C. 
turned in to it, and lived some time in tlie same 
place. It was wont to climb very readily over 
a division in its cage, and slept very little during 
the day time. 
OPOSSUM TRIBE. 
This genus has two canine teeth in each jaw ; 
hut the number of cutting teeth differs in different 
subjects ; and five toes on each foot; those on the 
bind feet are formed like a hand, with a distinct 
thumb ; the tail is very long, slender, and usually 
naked. There are about eighteen species compre- 
hended under this genus. They are most remark- 
able for a pouch which seems as a retreat for the 
young. 
Virginian opossum. 
This animal has a long sharp-pointed face, 
and wide mouth ; large, round, naked, and very 
thin cars, of a black colour, edged with pure 
white ; it has small, lively black eyes, with long 
stiff hairs on each side of its nose; and behind its 
eyes ; its face is covered with short, soft, white 
hair ; the space round its eyes is dusky ; its neck 
is very short ; its sides are of a dirty yellow ; the 
hind part of its neck and its back are covered with 
hair above two inches long, soft, but uneven ; 
having its bottom of a yellowish white, the middle 
part black, and the ends whitish ; its, sides are 
covered with dirty coloured dusky hair ; its belly 
with soft, woolly, dirty, white haif ; its legs and 
