ornithology. See Columbus.

Plate CLV. Didelphis, or opossum, in zoology; a genus of quadrupeds belonging to the order of ferms, the characters of which are these: They have ten fore-teeth in the upper jaw, and eight in the under one. The dog-teeth are long; the tongue is somewhat ciliated; and they have a pocket formed by a duplicature of the skin of the belly, in which the young are included.

1. The marsupials, or Virginian opossum, has a long sharp-pointed nose; large, round, naked, and very thin ears; small, black, lively eyes; long stiff hairs on each side the nose, and behind the eyes; the hind part of the neck and back covered with hair two inches long; the bottoms of a yellowish white, middle part black, ends whitish; the sides covered with hair of a dirty and dusky colour; the belly with soft, woolly, dirty white hair; the tail, for near three inches, clothed with long hairs like those on the back; the rest of the tail covered with small scales. The tail of this animal has a disagreeable appearance, looking like the body of a snake, and has the same prehensile quality with that of some monkeys; the body is round and pretty thick, the legs short; on the lower part of the belly of the female is a large pouch, in which the teats are lodged, and where the young shelter as soon as they are born. The length of the body is 16 or 17 inches; that of the tail 14.—This creature inhabits many parts of America and the East Indies. It is very destructive to poultry, and sucks the blood without eating the flesh; it feeds also on roots and wild fruits, and is very active in climbing trees. It hunts eagerly after birds and their nests; and will hang suspended from the branches of a tree by its tail; then, by swinging its body, it will fling itself among the trees that grow in the neighbourhood. It walks very slow; and when pursued and overtaken will feign itself dead. It is not easily killed, being as tenacious of life as a cat. When the female is about to bring forth, she makes a thick nest of dry grass in some close bush at the foot of a tree; and brings four, five, or six, young at a time. As soon as the young are brought forth, they take shelter in the pouch or false belly; and fasten closely to the teats, so that they cannot be separated without difficulty. They are blind, naked, and very small, when new-born, and resemble fetuses; it is therefore necessary that they should continue in that false belly till they attain proper strength and size; and are prepared to undergo what may be called a second birth. After this they run into the pouch as into an asylum in time of danger; and the parent carries them about with her. During the time of this second gestation, the female shows an excessive attachment to her young, and will suffer any torture rather than allow this receptacle to be opened; for she has the power of opening or closing it by the affluence of some very strong muscles. The flesh of the old animal is very good, like that of a sucking pig: the hair is dyed by the Indian women, and wove into garters Didelphis, and girdles: the skin is very fetid.

2. The Molucca opossum has long, oval, and naked ears; the mouth is very wide; the lower side of the upper jaw, throat, and belly, is of a whitish ash colour; rest of the hair a cinereous brown tipped with tawny, darkest on the back: the tail is as long as the body; near the base covered with hair, the rest naked: the claws are hooked. On the belly of the female is a pouch, in which the young (like those of the former) shelter. Maregrave found six young within the pouch. It has ten cutting teeth above and eight below. The length of the animal from nose to tail is ten inches; and the tail exceeds the length of head and body. Its whole figure is of a much more slender and elegant make than the former. The tail pulverised, and taken in a glass of water, is reckoned in New Spain a sovereign remedy against the gravel, colic, and several other disorders. This species is found in great numbers in Aracoe and Solor: It is called in the Indies pelandor aroe, or the aroe rabbit. They are reckoned very delicate eating; and are very common at the tables of the great, who rear the young in the same places in which they keep their rabbits. It inhabits also Surinam, and the hot parts of America.

3. The murina, or murine opossum, hath the face and upper parts of the body of a tawny colour; the belly of a yellowish white; the tail is slender, and covered with minute scales to the very rump: the length of the animal from nose to tail, about six inches and a half; the tail of the same length: the female wants the false belly of the former; but on the lower part the skin forms on each side a fold, between which the teats are lodged. It inhabits the hot parts of South America; agrees with the others in its food, manners, and the prehensile power of its tail. It brings from 10 to 14 young ones at a time: they affix themselves to the teats as soon as they are born, and remain attached like inanimate things, till they attain growth and vigour to shift a little for themselves.

4. The Mexican opossum, is of an ash-colour on the head and upper parts of the body: the belly and legs are whitish; the tail is long and pretty thick, varied with brown and yellow; it is hairy near an inch from its origin, the rest naked: the length of the animal from nose to tail, about seven inches and a half; of the tail, more than 11.—It inhabits the mountains of Mexico, and lives in trees, where it brings forth its young; when in any fright, they embrace the parent closely. The tail is prehensile, and serves instead of a hand.

5. The phalanger, or Surinam opossum of Buffon, has the upper part of the body reddish, mixed with a light ash-colour and yellow; the under parts are of a dirty yellowish white; the bottom of the tail is covered with hair, for near two inches and a half; the rest naked: the length of the animal from nose to tail is near nine inches; the tail ten. It inhabits Surinam, according to Buffon; who supposes it may be the species called by the colonists the cane-rat, which is so destructive to the sugar-canes. According to Dr Pallas, it inhabits the East India islands, but is not found in Surinam.

6. The dorfigera, or merian opossum, hath the head and upper part of the body of a yellowish brown colour; the belly white, and tinged with yellow; the tail Didelphis, tail very long and slender, and, except at the base, quite naked.—It is a native of Surinam, and burrows under ground; it brings five or six young at a time, which follow their parent: on any apprehension of danger, they all jump on her back; and twisting their tails round her's, she immediately runs with them into her hole.

7. The kangaroo. This animal has a small head, neck, and shoulders; the body increasing in thickness to the rump. The head is oblong, formed like that of a fan, and tapering from the eyes to the nose; end of the nose naked and black; the upper lip divided. The nostrils are wide and open; the lower jaw is shorter than the upper; and the aperture of the mouth small; there are whiskers on both jaws, those on the upper longest; and strong hairs above and below the eyes. The eyes are not large; the irises are dusky; the pupil is of a bluish black. The ears are erect, oblongly ovated, rounded at the ends, and thin, covered with short hairs; four inches long. There are no canine teeth; but six broad cutting teeth in the upper jaw; two long lanceolated teeth in the lower, pointing forward; and four grinding teeth in each jaw, remote from the others. The belly is convex and great. The fore legs are very short, scarcely reaching to the nose; and useless for walking. The hind legs are almost as long as the body; and the thighs are very thick; on the fore feet are five toes, with long conic and strong claws; on the hind feet, only three; the middle toe is very long and thick, like that of an ostrich; the two others are placed very distinct from it, and are small: the claws are short, thick, and blunt; the bottom of the feet, and hind part, black, naked, and tuberculated, as the animal rests often on them. The tail is very long, extending as far as the ears; thick at the base, tapering to a point. The scrotum is large and pendulous. The hair on the whole animal is soft, and of an ash-colour; lighter on the lower parts. The dimensions of a full grown animal are not yet known. The following are those of a male lately sent to Lord Sidney by Governor Phillip.

| Length from the point of the nose to the end of the tail | 8 5 | | Length of the tail | 3 1 | | Head | 0 11 | | Fore legs | 2 0 | | Hind legs | 3 7 | | Circumference of the fore part by the legs | 1 9 | | Lower parts | 4 5 | | Round the thicker part of the tail, which gradually tapers to the end. | 1 1 |

The above is the largest kangaroo that has yet been seen, and we are told there is every reason to believe that even this had not nearly attained its full growth. It inhabits the western side of New Holland, and has as yet been discovered in no other part of the world. It lurks among the grass; and feeds on vegetables; it goes entirely on its hind legs; making use of the fore feet only for digging, or bringing its food to its mouth. The dung is like that of a deer. It is very timid: at the sight of men it flies from them by amazing leaps, springing over bushes seven or eight feet high; and going progressively from rock to rock. It carries its tail quite at right angles with its body Didelphis when it is in motion; and when it alights, often looks back.

In the account lately published of Governor Phillip's Voyage, we are told that these animals have been seen feeding in herds of about 30 or 40; and that one is always observed to be apparently on the watch at a distance from the rest.—The largest kangaroo which has yet been shot, we are there told, weighed about 140 pounds. But it has been discovered that there are two kinds, one of which seldom exceeds 60 pounds in weight; these live chiefly on the high grounds; their hair is of a reddish cast, and the head is shorter than the larger sort. Young kangaroos which have been taken, have in a few days grown very tame, but none have lived more than two or three weeks. Yet it is still possible that when their proper food shall be better known, they may be domesticated. Near some water was found the dung of an animal that fed on grass, which, it was supposed, could not have been less than a horse. A kangaroo, so much above the usual size, would have been an extraordinary phenomenon, though no larger animal has yet been seen, and the limits of growth in that species are not ascertained. The tail of the kangaroo, which is very large, is found to be used as a weapon of offence, and has given such severe blows to dogs as to oblige them to desist from pursuit. Its flesh is coarse and lean, nor would it probably be used for food, where there was not a scarcity of fresh provisions.

Mr Pennant observes, that this is a very anomalous animal; but ranks it under this genus as having more relation to it than to any other. In the account of Phillip's Voyage, however, we are informed, that the pouch of the female, hitherto esteemed peculiar to the opossum genus, has been found both in the rat and the squirrel kind in New Holland.

8. The quoll, or spotted opossum, is described as in length from the nose to the beginning of the tail about 15 inches, and the tail about nine or ten. The general colour black, inclining to brown beneath; the neck and body, spotted with irregular roundish patches of white; the ears pretty large and erect; the visage pointed, the muzzle furnished with long slender hairs; the legs, from the knees downward, almost naked, and ash-coloured; on the fore feet are five claws, and on the hind, four and a thumb without a claw; the tail, for about an inch and a half from the root, is covered with hairs of the same length as those on the body, from thence to the end with long ones not unlike that of a squirrel. The female has six teats placed in a circle within the pouch.

9. The kangaroo rat is described as similar, both in the general shape of the body and the conformation of the legs, to the kangaroo; but the visage having a strong resemblance to that of the rat, and the colour of the whole not ill resembling that animal, it has obtained the name of the kangaroo rat. It is an inhabitant of New Holland; and two of the species are now to be seen alive at the curious exhibition of animals over Exeter Exchange; where one of them, being a female, has brought forth young. This species has two cutting teeth in front of the upper jaw, with three others on each side of them; and at a distance... one false grinder, sharp at the edge, and channelled or fluted on the sides; and close to these, two true grinders: in the lower jaw there are two long cutting teeth formed like those of the squirrel, with three grinders corresponding with those in the upper jaw.

10. The flying opossum, a beautiful species, and clothed with fur of the most exquisite texture, is an inhabitant of New Wales. In length, from the tip of the nose to the root of the tail, it is 20 inches; the tail itself is 22 inches, at the base quite light, increasing gradually to black at the end; the ears are large and erect: the coat or fur is of a richer and more delicate texture; appearing, on the upper parts of the body, at first sight, of a glossy black, but on a nicer inspection found to be mixed with grey; the under parts are white, and on each hip is a tan-coloured spot nearly as big as a shilling; at this part the fur is thinnest, but at the root of the tail it is so rich and close that the hide cannot be felt through it. The fur is also continued to the claws. On each side of the body is a broad flap or membrane (as in the flying squirrels), which is united to both the fore and hind legs. The jaws are furnished with teeth, placed as in some others of this genus: in the upper jaw forwards are four small cutting teeth, then two canine ones, and backwards five grinders: the under jaw has two long large cutting teeth, five grinders, with no intermediate canine ones, the space being quite vacant. The fore legs have five toes on each foot, with a claw on each; the hinder ones four toes, with claws (the three outside ones without any separation), and a thumb without a claw, enabling the animal to use the foot as a hand, as many of the opossum tribe are observed to do.

11. The Cayenne opossum has a long slender face; ears erect, pointed, and short: the coat woolly, mixed with very coarse hairs, three inches long, of a dirty white from the roots to the middle; from thence to the ends of a deep brown; sides and belly of a pale yellow; legs of a dusky brown; thumb on each foot distinct; on the toes of the fore feet, and thumb of the hind, are nails; on the toes of the hind feet crooked claws; tail very long, taper, naked, and scaly. Length 17 French inches; of the tail fifteen and a half. The subject measured was young. Inhabits Cayenne: very active in climbing trees, on which it lives the whole day. In marshy places, feeds on crabs, which when it cannot draw out of their holes with its feet, it hooks them by means of its long tail. If the crab pinches its tail, the animal sets up a loud cry, which may be heard afar: its common voice is a grunt like a young pig. It is well furnished with teeth, and will defend itself stoutly against dogs; brings forth four or five young, which it secures in some hollow tree. The natives eat these animals, and say their flesh resembles a hare. They are easily tamed, and will then refuse no kind of food.

12. The New Holland opossum has the upper part of the head, and the back and sides, covered with long, soft, glossy hairs, of a dark cinereous colour at the bottoms, and of a rusty brown towards the ends: the belly is of a dirty white. The tail is taper, covered with short brown hairs, except for four inches and a half of the end, which is white, and naked underneath; the toes like those of the former. Described by Mr Pennant from a skin, the length of which, from the head to the tail, was 13 inches, and the tail the same. The animal was found near Endeavour river, on the eastern coast of New Holland, with two young ones. It lodges in the grass, but is not common. There are two or three other species.