Mammalia

MAMMALIA. The study of animated nature with reference to agricultural economy is cer tainly of importance to the farmer, for thus he learns of those beneficial or noxious. The fol lowing will give the principal points relating to the subject, originally written by Mr. E. A. Samuels, of Massachusetts; and from which this is condensed. Taking our terrestrial animated nature, or fauna, and analyzing it we find it to consist of four great classes—mammals, birds, reptiles, and insects. The characteristics of each of these classes, are, of course, familiar to all; they may be described briefly as follows: Mam mals are warm-blooded vertebrate animals that suckle their young. They are viviparous— that is, they bring forth their young alive. Birds are warm-blooded vertebrate animals clothed with feathers; they are invariably oviparous—that is, the young are hatched from eggs by the action of heat imparted from tlie body of the parent bird. Reptiles are cold blooded vertebrate animals; they are oviparous, the young being hatched by the heat of the sun. Insects are those articulate animals which undergo changes, called metamorphoses, before the perfect animal is formed; these changes are three in number after the eggs are laid; first, the caterpillar stage; second, the pupa stage; and after these the imago or perfect insect stage. The study of the first class is called mammalogy; that of the second, ornithology; the third, her petology; and that of insects entomology. The study of entomology is undoubtedly of the great est 'mportance to the agriculturist, but the pre&mt paper will not treat of it otherwise than in a general description of the characteristics of the different orders, and incidentally in tbe enu meration of destructive species which furnish, food for some of the mammals and birds. Her petology is of but little importance to the far mer, as we ha:ye but few species of reptiles, most of which are, however, beneficial. Begin ning with the great class mammalia, we find it divided by naturalists into different classes called orders, each of which is distinguished by peculi arities in structure, habits, and food. Those orders indigenous to this country among the ter restrial mammalia of importance to the agricul turist, vithir as beneficial or injurious, are: Cheiroptera, the bats; Insectivora, the insect devouring animals; Carnivora, the flesh devour ing animals; Rodentia gnawing animals , Marsupialia, pouched animals; and Rumin antia, animals which chew the cud. Of these animals the Cheiroptera, Iusectivora, and Carnivora are beneficial; the Rodentia are generally injurious; and the Runiinantia are valuable only as food, and are, to a slight extent, injurious in the wild state. In the order Cheiroptera are included those animals known as the bats ; there are several species in the United States, all of which can be properly included in the family Vespertilionidce, the characteristics of which are an excessive prolongation of the fin gers of the anterior extremities, which are connected together, and with the posterior extremities, which are connected with the tail by a thin, semi-transparent, generally naked membrane, which enables them to fly. Their food, which they ahnost always capture in the night, as the habits of the animals are strictly nocturnal, consists entirely of insects, chiefly nocturnal lepidoptera, which they seize while on the wing. The number of these noxious insects which they destroy is immense; and this fact, together with their harmless dispositions and habits, establishes them as valuable friends to the farmer, who should encourage them to take up their abode on his premises, and protect them as much as possible. At the approach of cold weather, the bats seek convenient quarters in caves, hollow trees, and buildings, where they remain torpid until spring, suspended by the sharp hooked claws of their feet. Of the large and important order, Insectivora, we have many representatives included in the two families, Soricidce, (shrews), and Ta4;liolce, (moles). The shrews may readily be distinguished by their mouse-like form, long and pointed head, dimin utive cyes, and attenuated muzzle, prolonged into a movable snout. In the true or typical shrews included in the genus Sorex, the body is rather slender, nearly cylindrical, and covered with a soft glossy fur; the ears are large, but nearly concealed by the fur of the head, the eyes are minute, but visible; and the snout is elonga ted, flexible and sensitive; the tail is variable in length, but generally is long; series of glands are placed along the flanks which secrete a fluid of disagreeable odor, in consequence of phich they are seldom destroyed and eaten by the Carnivora. The animals of this family are small, some of them the most diminutive of mammals. Their habits are generally nocturnal, and none of the species hybernate, I believe, as individuals are often seen in winter busily engaged in searching for insects in their various forms, in and beneath piles of stones and rubbish. The shrews inhabit the woods, fields, and gardens, and being possessed of voracious appetites they are continually active in destroying numerous noxious insects, of which their food almost entirely consists; consequently they are all emi nently beneficial to agriculture, and are certainly worthy the protection of the farmer. There are also in this country besides the genus Sorex or true shrew included in the Sorixidce, other genera, of which Blorina is the most important. In this genus are placed the mole-shrews or short-tailed shrews. These may be recognized by their stout body, short tail, and the other features of the genus Sorex. The family Talpidce (or moles) is rep resented in this country by several tecies, in all of which the body is short and strong, the snout flexible and very sensitive, and the head is long and tapering. The external ear is wanting, and the eye is so small' as to be hardly visible, or is completely covered with the skin of the head. The limbs are short and strong, (the forward ones which are provided with strong claws for dig ging, ) exceedingly so. These peculiarities of form are all adapted to the subterranean habits of these animals. Their food consists of insects and worms; these, which they destroy in great quantities, are all, or nearly so, captured beneath the surface of the ground. They are almost constantly employed in searching for food in consequence of their voracious appetites, and their labors are valuable in destroying these in sects. In reviewing the habits of the different animals that subsist entirely upon insects, we find' them to be generally nocturnal in character. This seems to be a wise provision of nature, whereby the birds (generally diurnal in habits) which destroy .great numbers of insects, and even in a great many species, subsist entirely upon them, are continually assisted in keeping reduced this formidable and destructive element. An other interesting and valuable fact is, that these animals to make their work the more sure, hunt in different circles: The Vespffrtilionidee destroying great numbers of insects in the air; the Soricidce on the surface of the earth, and the Talgridca beneath the surface. In studying these beauti ful laws, so nicely calculated for so desirable an end, we admire and wonder. Appreciating them, and noting their efficacy, we learn to respect and even love the instruments by which they are executed. The Carnivora, a great order, generally diffused over the entire globe, is represented in this country by the following families: Felidce, (the cats;) Canidce, (the dogs ;) Viverides, (the civet cats ;) Mustelidce, (the weasels, skunks, etc. ;) and Ursidce, (bears.) The external characteristics of the Felidce are—a rounded head, light, elastic, muscular body, strong liinbs and sharp retractile claws on all the toes, which are five in number on the anterior feet, and four on the posterior. In this family are included our panthers, lynxes, and wildcats. The habits of these animals are both nocturnal and diurnal, but generally the former. In capturing their prey they always spring suddenly upon it from some concealed station, and if they fail in their first attack they seldom repeat it. By nature they are cowardly and cruel ; thcy are gifted with acute senses of sight and hearing; they are only beneficial in destroying many of the injurious herbivorous mammals; and it is a doubt whether or not the damage they inflict by destroying great numbers of beneficial birds and valuable ruminants, does not more than balance the little good they do. At any rate the hatred all farmers have for them is so great that they lose no opportunity to de stroy them, and, probably, this one of their prej udices is founded on reason. In the family Can idce, are included our wolves and foxes; the same remarks will apply to them as to the cats re garding their usefulness. The family Vireridce has no importance to our agriculturists. The family Mustelidte, in which are placed our mar tins, weasels, otters, badgers, and skunks, is the most important of thc Carnivora to agricul ture. Its characteristics are based principally on peculiarities of the teeth, of which these animals have six incisors in each jaw ; two canines; six or eight pre-molars; two molars in 'the upper, and two or four in the lower jaw. Their bodies are 'generally long and slender; legs short; feet, five-toed, provided with long sharp claws; the tail is generally long, and sometimes bushy, as with the skunks. These animals generally have lands at the root of the tail which secrete a liquid of offensive odor. With the skunks this secretion is used as a weapon of defense; its of fensive odor exceeds anything in nature. The weasels and skunks are the most important mem bers of this family ; they are continually active in destroying the mice and rats; the form of the weasels being peculiarly adapted to following them to their most secret haunts. Insects also form no inconsiderable portion of the food of skunks and wi.asels. Birds and their eggs, and young, are often destroyed by them, but not to an ex tent at all balancing the benefit they do; nor is the injury caused by an occasional raid into the poultry-yard at all comparable to the immense benefit we receive from their unceasing nightly labors in the destruction of rats, mice, and insects. The otters and badgers are of no importance to agriculture. The Ursidce, in which are inclu ded.our raccoons and bears, are omnivorous in nature, although they are placed by the natural ists in the Carnivora: In consequence of thier depredations in the cornfields and sheepfolds they are in ill favor witb the farmers. who improve every- opportunity to destroy them. But little can be said of their benefit to agriculture. In closing the order Carnivora it would be proper to say that these animals are slow to multiply. If this were not the ease, they would, in consequence of their voracity, exterminate the other animals on which they subsist, (and which are also valu able as food for man,) and thus defeat the object for which they were created. knowledge of the characteristics and habits of the animals of the order Rodentia is of great importance to the agriculturist,. from the fact that these animals constitute one of the most destructive elements with which he has to contend. To properly un derstand these characteristics, it will be neces sary to enter into a more careful and less gen eral examination of the animals, and trust less to external peculiarities than we have thus far done; and we will, as far as possible, simplify these examinations, that they may be brought within the comprehension of all who have uot already made the subject a study. The animals of this order are all of small size, the beaver and marmots being among the largest. The species are all very prolific and numerous, and all are destructive, some exceedingly so. The promi nent characteristics of these animals is the pecul iar formation of the teeth. These are ,of two kinds, incisors and molars; the canines are want ing; the incisors are generally two iu number in each jaw; they are large and powerful, and provided with sharp, cutting, chisel-shaped edges adapted to gnawing. The constant severe action to which they are subjected would in time destroy them were they not continually growing, or being replaced by a pulpy secretion at their bases. The molars vary in number from twelve in the upper and ten in the lower, to but two in each jaw; these, like the incisors, are composed of two sub stances; an external layer of hard enamel, and a softer material in the interior ; their surfaces are irregular or tuberculated. adapted for grinding vegetable substances. These teeth are replaced in the same manner as the incisors. The forms and habits of the animals in this order are of a great variety. They will be discussed in the descriptions of the different families, of which We have in this country tive. They constitute each a natural group, with generally familiar representatives. They are called the Seturidce, (the squirrela), Sammy ida, (the pouched rats and gophers); ilfurida, (rats and mice); Hystricidce,. (porcupinea); and Leporida, (rabbits and hares). The detailed peculiarities of these families can not be, in the present paper, discussed at great length, but those most prominent will be men tioned sufficiently to have them understood. The Sciuridce of the 'United States are included in the two natural divisions or subfamilies Seiurnia, (squirrels and woodchucks); and Castorince, (heaver§i, The subfamily Seiurince, in which are placed file squirrels, both ground and arboreal, the woodchucks and spermophilea. is very num erous in this country, and the rnembers of it are generally injurious. from the fact that the great bulk of their food, of which they generally secure large quantities for their winter subsistence, con sists principally of the various seeds, nuts, and grains which are valuable as a means of subsist ence to man and the domestic animals. These animals also consume great quantities of cultiv ated fruits, and even vegetables, to an extent, in some districts, involving to the farmer consider able pecuniary loss. Woodchucks, especially, are very mischievous, not only in what they eat, but to the crops of clover„ grass, and grains, which are destroyed by numerous trails or paths. leading from their buiTows. This family is of small value, either for food or for their fur. The Castor ewe, or beavers, are of no great importance, economically speaking, to agriculture. They are valuable for their fur, which always commands. a ready sale at a high price. These animals are rapidly becoming extinct, and are only found in the wildest and most retired districts of the country. In the family Sacconlyidce are included. all the gophers and pouched rats. They may be readily distinguished by their large cheek pouches. These anima3s, are all eminently injur ious. They burrow in the earth in grain fields. and grass lands, and often do considerable mis chief by visiting the gardens, orchards and nur series, where they eat the roots of the plains and gnaw the bark from the trees. In this manner large numbers of fruit trees are destroyed yearly. The cheek pouches are used in conveying food to their burrows. This food consists of roots, grains, grasses, seeds, fruits and nuts. Of these they devour great quantities. Various methods have. been devised for their destruction, the most suc cessful being by poison. Great numbers are destroyed by the carnivorous animals and birds, and were it not for these they would, in conse quence of their numbers and rapid increase, be a, serious pest. These are, however, not found in New England. The great family .11 aridce is, economically speaking, the most iniportant our indigenous Rodentia. In it are included the rats and mice, all of which are injurious, in some genera, seriously so. These animals have characteristics in common, but they naturally fall into several groups, which possess peculiari ties sufficiently marked to rank them as sub families. They are called the Dipodina, (jump ing mice); Murince , (rats and mice proper); and Arvicolince, (short-tailed field mice). In the sub family Dipodina we have but one genus, (Jaeulus), in this country. These animals are readily dis tinguished from the field mice by their very long posterior limbs and tail, and their progression by long leaps. This genus is not a large one, and consists in this country of but one or two species. They are not abundant in any districts, and can hardly, from their retiring habits, and the nature of their food, which consists largely of the seeds of wild plants, be called greatly injurious. Their _number will probably be kept reduced by the Carnivora and reptiles. The subfamily Murince is largely and widely distributed. It is charac terized by a robust body, moderately short limbs, strong and fully developed clavicle, and the tibia and fibula are united below. The anterior feet are four-toed, with a wart-like tuberole sup plying the place of a thumb; the postwior feet are five-toed; the tail is generally long, and cov ered more or less thickly with scales, which are arrayed in whorls, and between which spring scanty hairs which partially conceal them. In

this subfamily are included our common rat, Mus deenmanus, (Pallas); black rat, M. rattus, (Linn.); common mouse, M. Muscu/us, (Linn.); the field mice, (Reithrodon); the white-footed mice (Hesperomys); the bush rats, (Neotomia); and the cotton rats, (Sigmodon). These animals are all injurious generally in the highest degree. In the fields and gardens, in the grain houses and hay ricks, their depredations are innumerable, and the farmer has to pay for their support a large share of his produce. These species are all prolific and numerous, and their rapidly increas ing nunabers are already a serious evil. They should be destroyed at every opportunity. The farmer will find that he will have able and will ing assistance in their destruction in one or two small terriers if he keeps them about his premises. They are as natural enemies to the rat tribe as the cats are, and as constantly and successfully on the alert for them. In conclusion, we can say that, with the exception of the Arvicolime, to be treated of next, they are the most injurious of all mammals. The animals included in the sub family Arvieolince are certainly the most injurious of all farm pests, excepting the insects. They are divided into three genera, Arvicola, (field mice); Fiber, (muskrate); and Myocles, (Lem mings). Of these, the last mentioned are not of much consequence agriculturally. Muskrats are very mischievous among crops which lie near their haunts. They ought to be exterminated by every means in the farmer's power, on account of the immense and unceasing injury in cutting through dams and embankments, breaking the banks of ditches, and burrowing in, through, and across drains, opened and covered. It is the animals in the genus Arvicola that constitute one of the greatest of farm nuisances. They are 'characterized, and may be readily distinguisheel, by a rat-like, but rather stout, form ; short ears, nearly concealed in the fur ; large head and short tail. They are known in different sections by the names, field mice, short-tailed field mice, bull-head mice and bear mice. These animals are numerous, in some districts extremely so, and prolific to an alarming degree, and exceed ingly voracious. In summer they live in the cul tivated fields and meadows. In this season they eat the different grains by cutting down the stalks to get at the ears. They also eat the roots and seeds of the different grasses and clover, and .clevour carrots, turnips, and other vegetables. In the barns and hay ricks they spoil the hay by 'cutting it into fragments and filling it with their peculiar odor, thus rendering it unacceptable to the cattle. The late lamented Robert liennicott, who obtained a rich fund of knowledge of the habits of these animals, wrote a valuable report on them, in which he says: Few if any escape their depredations, though the full amount of damage done boy them is but little known, and they are usually thought unworthy of consid eration. Such farmers as cut their corn and leave it standing in shocks for some time in the field, usually done in the West, will find upon examination that in many, if not in every one of the shocks, there may be found one or more pair of meadow mice, which have dug for them selves burrows in the ground beneath, and have often carried thither a store of corn; while in these, or ensconced in the protecting cornstalks above, theYliave built themselves a nest, in which they can lead a very comfortable sort of life, regaling themselves when hungry upon the corn. Now, a pair of mice will not, it is true, eat enough corn to alarm a farmer for the safety of his crop ; but let any one examine a large field of corn thus cut and left standing on the ground a month or two where these mice abound, and carefully estimate the average amount of corn destroyed in each shock, observing that which has been buried in the burrow, and then multi ply that by the number of shocks inhabited by these pest,s, and it will be often found that they have consumed or destroyed a large amount. In meadows they do much injury by devouring the roots and stems of timothy, clover, and other plants used for hay. In a nurseiy, where apple seeds were planted in autumn, I have observed that, during fall and spring, so many of the seeds were dug up by these mice as to leave long gaps in the rows of seedlings, the empty shells of the seeds being found lying about the rows from which they had been taken. They con gregate in stacks of hay and grain, sometimes in exceedingly great numbers, destroying all the lower parts by cutting galleries through them in every direction. The greatest mischief done by meadow mice is the gnawing of bark from fruit trees. The complaints are constant and griev ous, throughout the Northern States, of the destruction of orchard and nursery trees by the various species of arviet)lce. The entire damage done by them in this way may be estimated, perhaps, at millions of dollars. If any think this too large an estimate, let them inquire, even in a small neighborhood, where much attention is paid to fruit-growing, and it will be found that, wherever they abound, the injuries com mitted by these pests are frequently among the most serious difficulties encountered by the pomologist. This is especially the case at the West, where no care is taken to protect the trees against them, careless orchardists allowing grass to grow about the roots of their fruit trees, and thus kindly furnishing the arvieolce with excel lent nesting places in winter, and rendering the trees doubly liable to he girdled. Thousands of fruit trees, as well as evergreens and other ornamental trees and shrubs, are at times thus killed in a nursery in one winter. The mice are most mischievous in winters of deep snow. It is usually thought that they only gnaw bark when no other food is to be obtained; but it is more probable that _this is palatable to them at all times. Confined specimens, while abundantly supplied with food of all kinds, ate the bark from twigs placed in their cage. One reason why fruit trees are most girdled in times of deep snow is, that the meadow mice can then best move about at a distance from their burrows, being protected by the snow, under which they construct numerous pathways, and are thus ena bled to travel comfortably in search of food, always to be obtained in abundance where there is any kind of perennial grass or the seeds of annual plants Aided by the snow, too, they climb up at the sides of the trees to gnaw the bark at a considerable height from the ground. Rabbits are often accused of gnawing the bark from trees, when the mischief has really been done by meadow mice. If the Arvicolince had not numerous enemies they would soon become unbearably numerous, for they are all very pro lific, rearing several litters of from five to seven in each, yearly. They are destroyed by all the earnivora and rapacious birds. Indeed, some species subsist almost entirely upon them. The animals most efficiently active against them are the Mustelicl ce and some of the large snakes. These, if protected hy the fanner, and they should be, would do much to keep these pests reduced in numbers. They can readily enter the burrows of the mice, and, possessing vora cious appetites, destroy great numbers. But the farmer, the moment he zees, a snake, no matter if it is perfectly harmless, (and but few are veno mous,) kills it, thus destroying one of his greatest benefactors, living as it does on insects princi pally, but often catching these mice. Domestic cats are also extremely fond of them, and destroy great numbers. In spite of all this destruction Ai-vicar:rue are still abundant. Many farmers kill small birds of prey with a zeal that would be highly commendable if exhibited in a better cause, while the man is rarely found who does not kill the harmless mouse and insect-eating snakes, with as much eagerness as he would destroy the really objectionable rattlesnake, which is the only venomous reptile on the prairie region of the Western States. Let one of our prairie farmers, who regards these pests as inoffensive little mice that only steal a few kernels of corn, investigate their habits carefully for a year, and he will be very apt to conclude that meadow mice are a kind of farm stock that are hardy and excellent breeders, but rather expensive to keep. It may be, he will think it hest to forbid killing, too, on his farm the prairie hawks, owls, and shrikes, as well as harmless snakes. Before dismissing the destruc tive family Muridce, it will be proper perhaps to mention some of the methods that have been adopted on the farm for their destruction, or to prevent their ravages. Numerous traps have been devised, some of them ingenious and effec tive. Of these, the best we have seen—one for barns and granaries, and another for the fields —are as follows: Place a barrel half full of water beneath a trap-door in the floor of build ings infested with these animals, so that the top of the barrel will be just on a level with the floor; around this scatter grain or meal at night, and by morning numbers will have fallen in and been drowned. In the fields and nurseries where they abound, a trap made on the favorite Scotch plan is very effective. Dig in the earth, at the beginning of cold weather, short trenches four feet wide at the bottom, and three feet wide at the top, and about four feet deep; the ends inclined-at the same angle as the sides. The earth walls of these trenches, after becoming frozen, are impassable to mice that have fallen in, as they will in great numbers. It is stated by a Scotch gardener, that he has killed upwards of nine thousand in one winter in this manner. Different poisonous preparations have been used with effect on these vermin The follow ing are among the best: Two ounces of car bonate of barytes mixed with one pound of suet or tallow ; place portions of this within their holes and about their haunts. It is greedily eaten, produces great thirst, and death ensues. after (kinking. This is a very effective poison, as it is _both tasteless and odorless. Mix one ounce of finely powdered arsenic and one ounce of lard with meal into a stiff dough; put it about the haunts of the rats; they will eat it greedily, and it makes them so thirsty that they will die near the water, of which they drink until the3r burst. Other effective poisons are composed as follows: Make a paste of one ounce of flour, one-half gill of water, one drachm of phos phorus; or, two ounces of lard, half a drachm of phosphorus, and one ounce of flour; or, one ounce of flour, two ounces of powdered cheese crumbs, and one-half a drachm of phosphorus; add to each of these mixtures, if convenient of access, a few drops of oil of rhodium; mix into a pazte or pills, and scatter about the fields and nurseries; or, two ounces of finely powdered arsenic, two ounces of lard, ten drops of oil of rhodium, mixed with flour or meal into a thick dough, and pills of it scattered about the orchards and nurseries, In the family Hystri eidce, are comprehended the porcupines,etc. Of these we have but two species included in the genus Erethizon; they are the white-haired or Canada porcupine, E. dorsatus, (Cuv.,) and the yellow-haired porcupine, E. epitanthus, (Brandt.) These animals are not numerous or trouble some; they are injurious only in destroying trees, of which they eat the bark and leaves. Sometimes these trees are found stripped almost entirely of bark, and it is said that a single por cupine will thus denude a hundred trees in a season. .They also eat fruits and vegetables, but not to any great extent. In the family Leporicke are included our rabbits and hares. Their char acteristics are: long and erect ears; large and prominent eyes; four incisors in the upper, and two in the lower -jaw ; the two middle ones in the upper jaw much the largest; posterior limbs long and strong, adapted to leaping; anterior feet five-toed; posterior feet four-toed; tail short or wanting. Some of the animals in this fam ily are injurious in gardens and nurseries to an extent hardly appreciated. I have known acres of peas to he destroyed in a few weeks when situated near small swampy woods, in which these animals for the most part reside. Fruit trees are often injured by them, sometimes seriously, by their eating the bark in winter from the trunk; cabbage fields are also visited in the summer, and great damage done. Fields of clover, of which they are fond, are trampled and cut up, if they are near woods, to an extent only known hy the enraged farmer. I have seen many of these fields with well-beaten paths run ning in all directions made by the rabbits and woodchucks. The Leporidce are very prolific; were they not they would soon be exterminated, for they furnish food for man, and are destroyed in great numbers by the carnivorous animals, (especially lynxes, weasels, and foxes,) rapacious birds, and reptiles. The animals of the order Ruminantia have peculiarities that constitute this a very natural group. They have in all the families the following common characteristics: No incisors in the upper jaw, their place being supplied by a calloused gum ; eight incisors in the lower jaw; generally twelve rnolars in each jaw ; feet bifurcate. These animals, as their name indicates, chew the cud ; that is, they masticate their food a second time. The manner in which this is done is as follows: Their stomach is com pound, being composed of four different com partments. The food,which is alivays vegetable in nature, is but little chewed when passed into the first or largest compartment called the paunch. From this it passes into the second compartment, from which it returns to the mouth where it is ,completely masticated, and then passed to the third stomach, from that to the fourth, and thence to the intestines. In this Order are found two of our most valuable domestic animals— horned cattle and sheep. These animals, in their .order indigenous to this country, are included in but two families; Cervidce in which are placed 011r moose, elk, and deer, and Cancornia which includes the goats and hison. The Cervida are distinguished by solid deciduous horns ; the Cool zornia by permanent hollow horns. These animals are all valuable for food, and for their hides, of which different kinds of leather are made. They are generally wild and retiring in their habits, seldom approaching human habita tions. The deer in some districts are injurions by visiting corn and grain fields, which they eat and destroy, sometimes to a considerable amount. They also injure young fruit trees in nurseries by biting off the tvrigs and gnawing the bark. The thoroughness with which they have been hunted has driven them into the most retired and thinly settled districts, and the time is not far distant when they -will he extinct in all but the unsettled territories of the continent. In the curious order, Marsupiata, are included those animals, the young of which are brought forth prematurely, and received, in raost instances, into a. peculiar pouch situated on the lower part of the abdomen of the female. This order is represented in this country by the opossuras, which are confined to the Southern, Western, and Middle States. The following account of the common American opossum as given by Goodrich, will suffice: It bas a pointed head; wide gape, numerous sharp teeth, a rough tongue, ears large and naked, small eye,s, the tail long, tapering, flexible and prehensile ; the toes are armed with sharp, strong, curved claws. Its size is nearly that of a cat, but the form is low a,nd squat; the color is a grayish white; the face near the snout pure white; the ears black. In its habits it is mostly nocturnal and arboreal, feeding alike upon insects, eggs, small birds, and fruit. It sometimes invades the barn-yards and destroys the poultry, it is said, for their blood. It is a good deal hunted, and mani fests much dexterity in escaping by creeping away amid the grass, and sometiraes pretending to be dead. In defending itself it bites severely. It is sluggish in its raovements, and will some times lie on its back for hours. It often sus pends itself from the branch of a tree by its tail. It is very prolific, producing from six to fifteen at a birth. The young at this period arc well formed, and weigh from three to four grains each. As soon as produced they are shoved into the pouch by the mother with her snout, and pushed near the nip,ples, which they find and _grasp by instinct. Their growth is very rapid; at ft week old they weigh thirty grains. They remain in the pouch attached to the nipples till they are able to move about. In winter, if the climate is cold, they becoine sluggish, but not torpid like the woodchucks.