Multiple Birth, birth of more than one offspring at a time, occurring regularly in most mammals, and uncommonly in some of the larger ones, such as cattle, horses, and humans. In humans, the tendency to bear more than one offspring is hereditary (see Heredity), and a mother who gives birth to twins is likely to have additional twins. Similarly, a twin-bearing mother stands a greater chance of producing triplets. The recent use of hormones and …showed first 75 words of 691 total…

…showed last 75 words of 691 total…commercial value but is little used now. The name opossum is frequently shortened to possum, although the name possum is also used in reference to certain Australasian marsupials unrelated to opossums. RACCOONS Scientific classification: Raccoons make up the genus Procyon of the family Procyonidae. The common North American raccoon is classified as Procyon lotor, and the crab-eating raccoon as Procyon cancrivorus. They are not marsupials because they do not have pouches for their new born.