252 
FOREST AND STREAM 
[Aug. is, 1908. 
breeding of the opossum would be somewhat 
similar. 
Dr. Bachman’s investigations were carried on 
in South Carolina, where opossums are 
abundant. It was learned that in that region 
the young were born about the first week in 
March, and at length specimens were obtained 
which gave birth to young in confinement, and 
these young, it was found, weighed from two 
and a half to four grains. The young, Dr. 
Bachman says, are far better developed than 
had previously been stated. They are, he says, 
“Little creatures that are nearly as well de¬ 
veloped at birth as the young of the white¬ 
footed mouse and several other species of 
rodentia. They are covered by an integument, 
nourished by the mammse, breathe through 
nostrils, perform the operations of nature, are 
capable of a progressive movement at the 
moment of their birth and are remarkably ten¬ 
acious of life.’’ 
One removed from its resting place in the 
pouch moved several inches on the table by 
crawling and rolling and survived two hours. 
When first born they are naked and flesh- 
colored. The eyes, together with the ears, are 
covered by the thin integument through which 
these organs and the protuberances of the ears 
are distinctly visible. The mouth is closed, 
with the exception of a small orifice sufficiently 
large to receive the teat, which is so thin and 
attenuated thaf it seems no larger than the body 
of a pin. The length of the body is seven- 
twelfths of an inch, and of the tail two-tenths 
of an inch. The nails are very distinct when 
viewed with a microscope and are of a dark- 
brown color, small and much hooked. The 
nostrils are open and the lungs filled with air. 
The largest number Dr. Bachman found in the 
pouch was thirteen, the smallest, six. 
The precise manner in which the young reach 
the pouch and become attached to the teats 
after birth has been greatly speculated on. It 
seems probable, however, that the mother places 
them in the pouch, and that they attach them¬ 
selves to the teat, to which thereafter they cling 
for some weeks, by drawing it into the mouth 
by suction. Dr. Bachman observed that a new¬ 
born opossum which had been rolled up in 
warm cotton, “was instinctively engaged in 
sucking at the fibers of the cotton, and had 
succeeded in drawing into its mouth a con¬ 
siderable length of thread.” Another discoverer 
noticed the same thing. 
The young opossum grows with extraordinary 
rapidity, according to Dr. Bachman. In a week 
one of the animals had increased from three and 
three-quarter grains to thirty grains, and its 
length had more than doubled. It appeared that 
the elongated teat of the mother had been 
drawn into the stomach of the young. The 
pouches of the young females were apparent 
and they made some use of their prehensile 
tails, which were now frequently seen twined 
about the necks of others of the young. At the 
end of twelve days, the eyes were still closed, 
but some hairs had made their appearance on 
the mustache, and the nails were quite visible. 
At four weeks, the young began to relax their 
hold on the mother and sometimes put their 
heads out of the pouch and a week later they 
occasionally left the pouch and were sometimes 
seen on the mother’s back, holding on by 
twining their tails about hers. In this condi¬ 
tion she moves from place to place in search of 
food, carrying her whole family with her. 
“In traveling it is amusing to see this large 
family moving about. Some of the young nearly 
the size of rats have their tails entwined around 
the legs of the mother and some around her 
neck; thus they are dragged along. They have 
a mild and innocent look and are sleek and in 
fine condition, and this is the only age at which 
the word ‘pretty’ can be applied to the opossum. 
At this period, the mother, in giving sustenance 
to so large a family, becomes thin and is re¬ 
duced to half of her previous weight. The 
whole family remain with her about two months 
and continue in the vicinity until autumn. In 
the meantime, a second and even a third brood 
is produced, and thus two or more broods of 
different ages may be seen, sometimes with the 
mother and at other times not far off.” 
It will be noticed that this account differs 
somewhat from that given to our correspondent, 
but on the other hand, it must be recalled that 
Dr. Bachman’s conclusions are the result of 
many observations carried on with scientific ac¬ 
curacy over a period of several years, while 
those reported by the friend of our corre¬ 
spondent are evidently more or less haphazard. 
The differences which exist, however, are not 
very essential.— Editor.] 
Does Spraying Trees Kill Birds? 
Boston, Mass., Aug. 8.— Editor Forest and 
Stream: Sensational statements on this subject 
have appeared in some newspapers since the 
writer first brought the matter before the pub¬ 
lic. Therefore, notwithstanding that the investi¬ 
gation cannot be completed until another year, 
some misapprehensions may be avoided by the 
publication of a brief statement of the known 
facts now. 
Insecticides used in spraying for leaf-eating 
insects do not kill by contact. Such poisons are 
harmless to insects and birds, unless eaten by 
them. Gypsy caterpillars can eat and assimilate 
more poison in proportion to their size than 
would kill a man. Therefore, the gypsy moth 
insecticide (arsenate of lead) has to be made 
very strong to kill them. Many species of birds 
eat these caterpillars; hence the danger to the 
birds. 
There are at least three ways in which birds 
possibly may be poisoned by spraying. They 
are: (1) by eating apparently healthy insects 
that have eaten poisoned leaves (birds will not 
eat insects which appear sickly) ; (2) by eating 
poisoned leaves, buds or grass, and (3) by drink¬ 
ing water into which the poisoned spray has 
fallen or dripped. 
Reports have been coming in for more than 
ten years from a region extending from Maine 
to Illinois, to the effect that birds were disap¬ 
pearing where spraying was done or that they 
were found dead immediately afterward. In 
1892, when extensive spraying began in the gypsy 
moth district in eastern Massachusetts, many 
flocks of domestic fowls sickened and died, and 
people were then notified to keep their poultry 
confined where spraying was intended. Since 
the recent renewal of the State work and the 
beginning of the Government work for the sup¬ 
pression of the gypsy moth and the brown-tail 
moth in Massachusetts and adjacent States, the 
complaints regarding the death and disappear¬ 
ance of birds have greatly increased in numbe 
Recent spraying for the elm leaf beetle 
also regarded as a cause of the death of certai 
birds. In one village, where the elms wei 
sprayed, the vireos, redstarts and orioles ai 
said to have stopped singing immediately an 
were not seen afterward, but five were picke 
up dead in the street. 
A prominent ornithologist says that certai' 
species of birds gradually disappeared froi 
about his home in Cambridge during the spra? 
ing periods of the past three years, also th: 
several were found dead after the spraying c 
the past two years, and that the orioles, whic 
were formerly abundant in Cambridge, have a 
most disappeared. Caretakers of estates on tl 
north shore, where spraying has been done, ha\ 
found dead birds immediately afterward. Othe: 
have noticed that young birds die in the nes 
soon after the spraying. A man who has ei 
gaged in the work of spraying writes that 1 
has seen dead birds and noted the death < 
young birds where spraying has been done, b 
has not observed this elsewhere. 
Many farmers have noticed similar conditior. 
and, taken altogether, a mass of circumstanti 
evidence seems at first sight to offer convincir 
proof that birds are being decimated by spra 
ing. Innocent men have been hung, howevf 
on circumstantial evidence, and in this case t! 
testimony presents evident flaws. The disa: 
pearance of birds may be due to the fact th 
the spray kills the insects on which they fee 
and they may have to go to localities whe 
trees are left unsprayed to find their usual foo‘ 
Some negative circumstantial evidence may 1 
added to offset that already given. A caref 
observer reports that although his trees ha’ 
been sprayed heavily with arsenate of lead 1 
has not missed a bird that formerly nestt 
there. Putting all such evidence aside, howevt 
we have just one fact that may be accepted j 
proof that spraying kills birds. A. H. Kirklai 
had the stomach contents of a dead cuck< 
analyzed and the chemist found both lead at 
arsenic. Since then I have examined a numb 
of dead birds found near sprayed trees ar 
found that in most cases death was due to fi 
bird flying against a wire or getting with 
reach of a cat. Three of the birds, howeve 
showed no evidence of violent death and the 
stomachs and intestines were examined by 
chemist, but not a trace of arsenic or lead w; 
found. As my own results so far are negativ 
it only remains to follow up the investigate 
another year. 
To sum up the testimony, the belief seen 
warranted that birds have been killed by spra 
ing, but there is no conclusive evidence as y 
that the destruction of birds by spraying 
serious or widespread. 
Edward Howe Forbush. 
The Forest and Stream may be obtained froi 
any newsdealer on order. Ask your dealer 'a 
supply you regularly. 
--'-- I 
THE CAMPING OUTFIT 
of the thoughtful camper invariably includes li 
supply of Borden’s Eagle Brand Condense 
Milk. With this in camp, the most importai- 
food item is taken care of. Eagle Milk keel’ 
indefinitely in any climate. The original ai 1 ® 
leading brand since 1857. Always uniform.-!!' 
Adv. 
