Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1899-11-19
,Possums Invade staten Island.
New York SUM

Until few years ago tho opossum-
colloquially abbreviated TO pOssum-Was
comparatively unknown on staten Island
bur after the bridging Of Arthur Kill
thuq uniting the island with New jersey
these animals began TO appear numerous
ly. TO the great annoyance OF poultrymen'
for the possum Is q great lover or lows.
Tho Virginia postum. the species mere
snoken Of. ranges from the Central
United states to Brazil. Captain John
Smith in his Virginia, the narrative o,
his sixth voyage, gives this description
OF tho lttlo animal: AN opossum main
"A head Ike "a swine. a tail Ike rat, ana
IS Of the hgness of a cat Under the belly
she hath q large bagge.' This page
il q pouch. I'm which the young are car
ried and into which they scamper on be-
ing surprised, which does not often occur,
for thu 'possum IS essentially nocturnal
prowler. and is rarely seen in daytime. II
discovered during the day. 1t will quickly
coil up and simulate death; hence the
phrase ito play POSTUM
The negroes Of the South highly esteem
tba 'possum az food, and when properly
cooked itg meat is exceedingly tooth
some. The 'possum IS rarely found where
tho persimmon does not grow, and the
liberal eating OF this fruit imparts to It's
meat = peculiar delcacy Of flavor. Per-
simmons are not plentiful on staten IS
land. vet during the present autumn some
localities are literally overrun with pos
sums particularly West New Brighton
and the adjacent territory Nhere they
como from and why they come are MI
grativ, mysteries Perhaps they are ac-
tuated by an instinct OF SELF preserVa-
tion-a desire to escape from the appetite
az tho southern darky. 1t is just within
the range Of possibility that the first ad-
venturers OF this species to the island,
finding that the inhabitants were lshor-
ant OF tho value Of 'possum meat as
food. communicated that fact TO their
relatives. and that they are here seeking
immunity from torch and hound, with
which they ara hunted at night IN the
South. A pine torch is used TO light the
way of tho hunter through the Woods'
and tho hounds are employed TO tree lhe
game. Tho 'possum, on the approach OF
dogs. ascends a tree, usually small one.
This tree is felled with an axe ana 'he
dogs seize the quarry
If the wary 'possum thinks to escape
capturc and baking by mlgrduoh 10
staten Island he is mistaken, Tor many
of The residents Of this borough nave
already acquired keen appetues Tor MS
flesh, and nave UcCoibC 49, - -
Chief among these is Mr.. Is. i. ulh' Oh
prohihition Park. who now keeps PACK
Of trained 'possum dogs, ana whose nun.
inc morn may be heard almost every hlsh1
i'm the densely-w Wooded s.cuOh hnV"n ~
The evidences" Another resldtht OF
tbe pork-Mr. Gates-has established quite
an Industry by manufacturing p0ssuiL
pelts into WOmen's muHs. Inc Iui oi
the animal is OF SOFT, sllVery sIay any,
makes a fine mun. stu AhC,h IeSlue.i ;
81 The park-Captain VIII Haynes-seIl-
0nsiv contemplates the establishment OF
O. irossum farm, with the view OF hltIO-
ducing the meat TO northern tables; 80.
So rapidly are the animals lhcISaSlils 5 on
the island that something Will surely
have to he done TO check their INVASION
S{nca making this county habitat the
'possum has strangely aDahuohSu Us olu
traits and, besides boldly roDDihs nen,
nests hgs become a sort OF househOlu
| nest Commodore Godfrey, who recently
| Visited his country place here TO spehd .
| few days i'm seclusion, was aWdhehcu oll'
| u{ght by "a pressure on ms breast. sup
! nosing that the intruder was q pet dOB
| the Commodore reached out 10 ulsPlac,
| II when his fingers were seized ana pittel
| vlciouely. Sprlnglng up ne discovered Vi
his couch a huge 'possum' ana IN the nan
/ Wv he found three more. Ihey had en-
tered through a broken window-pane II
| the basement
| Peter Heal. of Jewett avenue, had al
experience more amusing 10 others thal
! To himself 1dNllS itANhA49 pun N4it.''N g
| splendid AngOra cat, on the occasion o
an evening house party, he went 70 tn
| dining-room To get the cat for exhibition
TO guests in the parlor. Picking up th'
cat as he supposed, ana placing II on
his shoulder he re-cntered the parlOr
when he was startled at feeling somethin
like a snake coiling tightly about hi
throat Frantically Kidding himself of IN
coil, ne threw TO the floor giant pos
sum. but not before his right ear ha
been badly bitten.