CRAB-EATING OPOSSUM.

THERE are several species of these somewhat singular
animals, as for instance the one before us, the marmose
opossum, the Mexican opossum, the flying opossum, and
the common opossum. The following is the generic ©
description: —“‘Animals of this genus have a lengthened
head, with a large mouth, containing fifty teeth, and
on the upper lip numerous long divergent whiskers; their
ears are large and naked; their tail shorter than the
body, prehensile, and for the most part covered by
scales, intermingled with bristles; the colour of the fur
is whitish grey. The limbs are short, with five toes on
each, the fore ones armed with claws; on the hinder
there are opposable thumbs, without nails, which give
them the power of hands. Their walk is slow and
clumsy on the ground; but they are expert at climbing
trees, and in all their movements among the branches,
where they most commonly reside.

Their food consists of birds, eggs, small animals, and
insects; and by simply curving its tail at the extremity,
the opossum sustains his weight, and depending from
the branch of a tree or any other projection, hangs in
full security, rifles the birds’ nests, gathers fruit, or
seizes any prey within its reach; and to regain his
position, a little contraction of the tail easily throws
him up, or if any lesser animal happen to pass under-
neath, he drops upon it with unerring aim, and quickly
devours it. He is also guilty of stealing into the
poultry-yard, where he commits great devastation, cutting
the throats of the fowls, and sucking their blood, and