. The naturalist's library; containing scientific and popular descriptions of man, quadrupeds, birds, fishes, reptiles and insects; . d one thus tamed,which would follow the inmates of the house with great assiduity, and com-plain with a whining noise when left alone. As it grew older, it becamemischievous, from its restless curiosity, and there seemed to be no possibilityof devising any contrivance effectually to secure it. The same circumstanceis frequently remarked by persons who have attempted to detain them mcaptivity; and of the instances which have come to our knowledge, wheree yen a gr
. The naturalist's library; containing scientific and popular descriptions of man, quadrupeds, birds, fishes, reptiles and insects; . d one thus tamed,which would follow the inmates of the house with great assiduity, and com-plain with a whining noise when left alone. As it grew older, it becamemischievous, from its restless curiosity, and there seemed to be no possibilityof devising any contrivance effectually to secure it. The same circumstanceis frequently remarked by persons who have attempted to detain them mcaptivity; and of the instances which have come to our knowledge, wheree yen a great number were apparently well secured, they have all in a short2S 218 MAMMALIA—OPOSSUM. time enlarged themselves, and been no more heard of. In some such in-stances these animals have escaped in the city, and for a long time havetaken up their quarters in cellars, where their presence has never been sus-pected, as during the day they remained concealed. In this way it is veryprobable that many are still living in the city of Philadelphia obtaining aplentiful food by their nightly labors. THE CAYOPOLLIN, OR MEXICAN OPOSSUM,*. Is a small animal, a little larger than a rat, very much resembling the opos-sum in the snout, the ears, and the tail, which is thicker and stronger thanthat of a rat; he makes use of it as we do our hands; he has thin transpa-rent ears; the belly, the legs, and feet white. The young, when they arefrightened, embrace the mother, who lifts them up on the trees. This spe-cies has been found on the mountains of New Spain. THE MARMOSE, OR MURINE OPOSSUM^ Resembles, in most respects, the Virginian; they are natives of the sameclimate, in the same continent, and are very much alike by the form of thebody, the conformation of the feet, and the tail, a part of which is coveredwith scales, the upper part only being hairy. But the marmose is smallerthan the common opossum, his snout is still sharper; the female has nobag under the belly, she has only two loose sk
Size: 2425px × 1030px
Photo credit: © Reading Room 2020 / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1850, bookidnaturalistsl, bookyear1851
