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The Opossum 
T HIS small animal is a very distant 
cousin of the Kan-ga-roo, which is 
found only in Aus-tral-ia. Here in 
the United States, from New York to Cali¬ 
fornia, this opossum, or “ ’possum,” as it 
is often called, has been found. They 
are about as large as a common cat, and 
they live in trees, but come down to visit 
rice fields and swamps in the night for their 
food,—the insects, mice, birds, nuts, berries, and roots. When in danger, 
they pretend to be dead, but watch their chance to run away and escape. 
The Banded Mon-goose 
T HIS mon-goose is found in India, and is 
gray and black in color. It is really very 
fierce and bold, catching and killing snakes 
and rats very well. That is why it is often cared 
for, and does become very tame. Mon-gooses 
seem to like persons and some places, and to be 
played with and stroked. The story is told that a 
British officer in India once tamed one, and took 
it with him wherever he went, tucked away in his 
pocket. At length he brought it to England, then 
once left it for a short time, and it died, as if 
from grief. It had been his constant companion,— 
on horseback, in camp, and on shipboard. 
The White-tailed Mon-goose 
S EE how like a white brush this mon-goose’s white tail is! All his fur 
is long, but especially that on his tail. This kind of mon-goose is 
found in Africa. Mon-gooses are something like the civet cats and 
the genets, in that they hunt small animals. 
The mon-goose is very fond of snakes, and 
does not seem to be poisoned by the bite of 
even the worst of them, such as the cobra. 
When the mon-goose is aroused, every hair 
of his long fur stands straight out from his 
body, so that a snake could strike at him 
and yet hit only his fur. Then the mongoose 
suddenly bites the snake, killing him. 
