329 
j 
CHAPTER XIII. 
Plate XXIV. — the opossum. 
Fig. 1. The American opossum; (didelphis marsupialis Virginia 
na.) The body of the animal is of a grayish yellow color, some 
hairs entirely black, with others entirely white; the tail furnished 
with scales; die hands, nose, and ears naked. The female has the 
whole length of the belly cleft or slit, and appears like a person's 
waistcoat buttoned only at the top and bottom. This cavity the 
animal has the power of firmly closing. Within are thirteen teats, 
extremely small, one in the centre, and the rest ranged round it. 
Fig. 2. One of die young of the opossum. 
Fig. 3. The pelvis of the opossum; a, a, the two bones (ossa 
marsupialia) placed on the anterior part called the ossa pubis. 
The kangaroo and several other animals of New Holland have 
a similar structure. 
li 
