The third notable mark of the opossum is its tail, which is long and supple, and has its terminal half bare of fur and covered with scales. This tail is called prehensile, because hand-like it can clasp itself closely about any object with which the creature would serve itself as a support. A few turns of this lithe tail about a branch will bear the weight of even a mother opossum loaded with her pouch full of little ones; and a vigorous shaking of the branch cannot dislodge her. The fourth remarkable characteristic is to be found in the feet of the opossum. These have each five toes, and on the hind feet the large toes are without nails, and are set thumb-like in opposition to the other four, so that these hind feet are really strong and supple hands. Finally, the opossum is distinguished by the large number of its progeny. A cow marches about followed by a single calf; a sheep but seldom has twin lambs; the lion never has more than two whelps; but the prolific opossum goes skipping around with fifteen or sixteen little furry children gambolling after her, or thrusting their sharp noses from her warm pouch. The nose of the opossum is sharp, long, and well provided with whiskers, as is that of a cat; the eyes are dark, sleepy looking by day, but bright and alert by night, for the opossum is a night-prowler; the ears are erect, large, and leaf-like. The fur is coarse and of a light gray color; occasionally a pure white opossum is found, while the smallest of all the species is dressed in bright red. This soldier-dressed opossum is no larger than a house mouse, and is a native of Mexico. In Brazil there is another small species which looks much like a “chipmunk,” having a reddish gray coat with three black bands down the back. One very interesting member of the family is called “Lord Derby’s opossum”; it is a native of South America, and is rather larger than a gray squirrel; its fur is short and close, its tail is entirely covered with scales; and usually the mother is without the pouch for the young. To make up for this lack, she arches her long tail forward, puts all her children on her back, and they curl their limber little tails about the over-arching tail of their mother; thus, secure from falling, they ride around in state on their soft, fur coach. An extreme love for its numerous offspring is an eminent trait of the opossum. The mother does not, like many human mothers, leave her children alone, or in the streets, or with a nurse, while she goes visiting, shopping, or feasting. She always takes the children with her, and is never happy unless her furry brood is close beside her. The largest and best known of all the opossum tribe is the Virginia opossum, a common variety in many parts of North America. Although it is of too nervous and irritable a disposition to be made a pet, it frequently lives in towns. Hiding by day on the roof or in the sewers, and coming forth at night for food, it acts as a scavenger.