54 NATURAL HISTORY. 
The affection between the female and their young, 
is fuch, that they prefer death to parting. The cold- 
eft part of the globe is allotted by nature for the abode 
of this creature, as they are not to be found further 
fouth than Newfoundland, unlefs they have been car- 
ried involuntarily by floating iflands of ice, on which 
they had too rafhly ventured in fearch of their prey. 
The fleth of this anynal is white, and has the tafte 
of mutton. The fat is melted for train oil; and that 
which is extracted from the feet, is ufed medicinally. 
The liver is fo very unwholefome, that it endangered 
the lives of three failors who eat fome of it when 
boiled, 
Dr. Goldfmith relates, that when a Greenlander 
and his wife are paddling out at fea, a white bear will 
frequently jump into the boat, and be rowed to fhore 
like any other paffenger. 
OPOSSUM. 
V \ HAT diftinguifhes this from all other animals, 
and has long excited the wonder of mankind, is.a 
jarge pouch in the lower part of the belly of the fe- 
male, in which the teats are lodged, and where the 
young are fheltered as foon as they are brought 
forth; at which time they are blind, naked, fmall 
and imperfect. Nature, therefore, has, very provi- 
dentially, provided them with this maternal afylum, 
until they ‘can perfect their being. But when the 
are grown ftronger, they feek fhelter here, as chick- 
ens under the wing. of the hen; here they repofe 
from fatigue, or feek their food when hungry. On 
thefe occafions, the dam moft readily opens her bag : 
to receive them. The fleth of the old opoffirm is like 
that of a fucking pig ; the Indian women dye its hair — 
and weave it into girdles. ‘The fkin has a very offen- 
five fmell: The head, which is like that of the fox, 
