THE OPOSSUM
The Opossum is an American animal, having a head like the fox, and large eyes. The head is mostly white, and the body is covered with long black-and-white hairs. He climbs up trees with great facility, hides himself in the leaves to catch birds, or hangs himself by the tail from a branch. It seeks its food in the night, and lives on fruit, insects, and birds' eggs. Its teeth are fifty in number. The most remarkable circumstance in the natural history of this animal is the pouch which is formed under the belly of the female, in which it carries its young ones when they are small. If the little creatures are frightened when absent from their mother, they scamper to this asylum as soon as possible.
THE COMMON ANTELOPE
Of this numerous tribe of animals, there is perhaps no species so truly elegant in its appearance as this, and although it is one of the most common, yet its habits are but little known. It is very numerous in all the northern parts of Africa. In size, it is rather smaller than the fallow deer. Its color is a dusky brown, mixed with red; the tail is short; the horns, which are about sixteen inches long, are black, distinctly annulated almost to the top, and have three curves. The brachia, or sides of the lyre, were frequently made of these horns, as appears from ancient gems. The female is destitute of horns, and has a white stripe on the flanks.
THE RABBIT
The Rabbit is a very pretty animal, and loves to live about the house and barn, in a state of friendship with all around it. It has no defence, but to run away; and so harmless and innocent is it, that nobody can have the heart to do it injury. It feeds upon clover, apples, and other fruits, and will often sit for hours in some snug covered place, quietly chewing its cud, with the greatest satisfaction. There is another kind of rabbit, which runs wild in the woods and fields. He is remarkably swift of foot, and no dog can overtake him in a race, but a grey-hound. His fur is very soft, and is used in making coarse hats.
THE MUSK DEER