Note rrr — BOOK IV.

The Contrivance of the Legs, Feet and Nails [of the Opossum] seems very advantagious to this Animal in climbing Trees (which it doth very nimbly) for preying upon Birds. But that which is most singular in this Animal, is the Structure of its Tail, to enable it to hang on Boughs. The Spines, or Hooks——in the middle of the under side of the Vertebræ of the Tail; are a wonderful Piece of Nature’s Mechanism. The first three Vertebræ had none of these Spines, but in all the rest they were to be observed.——They were placed just at the Articulation of each Joynt, and in the middle from the Sides.——For the performing this Office [of hanging by the Tail] nothing, I think, could be more advantagiously contrived. For when the Tail is twirled or wound about a Stick, this Hook of the Spinæ easily sustains the Weight, and there is but little labour of the Muscles required, only enough for bowing or crooking the Tail. This, and more to the same purpose, see in Dr. Tyson’s Anat. of the Oposs. in Phil. Trans. No. 239.