Female April 14, 1951 September 22, 1951 1870 Female May 6, 1950 February 28, 1952 1800 Female May 14, 1950 December 31, 1950 1750 Female March 28, 1951 January 23, 1952 1700 Female May 11, 1951 November 9, 1951 1700 Female May 11, 1951 March 2, 1952 1450 Female April 2, 1950 October 7, 1950 1160 Female April 14, 1951 May 19, 1952 1100 Male May 11, 1951 February 3, 1952 800 Female May 11, 1951 January 9, 1952 700 Female April 2, 1950 October 3, 1950 700 Female May 6, 1950 April 3, 1951 650 Female March 28, 1951 February 2, 1952 500 Male April 18, 1952 July 6, 1952 120 Female April 2, 1950 April 14, 1951 10 Most of these opossums were recaptured within a year of the time they were marked as small young in the females' pouches, and on the average they had moved a little less than 400 yards. While the sex ratio was equal in the pouch young that were marked, it is noteworthy that all but two of the recaptured opossums were females; and of the two males, one was recaptured early, before it could have had time to wander far. The young males, after becoming independent must tend to wander much more widely, and to settle in new areas far removed from the mother's home range. It is unlikely that this dispersal of the young males is motivated either by rivalry and intolerance of larger males or by sexual drive. The dispersal occurs in late summer when there is no breeding activity, and when food is present in greatest abundance and variety. FEEDING HABITS The feeding habits of the opossum in Douglas County, northeastern Kansas, have been discussed by Sandidge (1953). His data were obtained from stomach analysis of specimens caught in steel traps. In the present study no stomachs were available for analysis as the opossums on the Reservation were not sacrificed for this purpose and effort was made to avoid mortality in those that were live-trapped. Information concerning their feeding habits was obtained mainly by examination of scats in the field. On this 590-acre tract maintained as a Natural Area with human disturbance kept to a minimum, the available food sources differed somewhat from those of other woodland areas and especially from those of cultivated or suburban areas as reported upon by Sandidge.