428 " MIMICRY " OF BASSARICYON CHAP. 



fish, and it also captures fish. Not only is this animal partially 

 aquatic, but it can climb well " they make their homes in trees, 

 but carry on their business elsewhere." The animal can be 

 readily tamed, but is a tiresome pet on account of its insatiable 

 curiosity and its skill in the use of its hands, which enables it 

 to unlatch doors and generally to pry about everywhere. The 

 Raccoons are mostly nocturnal creatures. 



The genus Bassaricyon l includes two species, both American, 

 B. alleni being from Ecuador, and B. gabbii from Costa Rica. 

 They have so much the aspect of a Kinkajou that a specimen, 

 which arrived at the Zoological Gardens, was presented and 

 entered as one of those animals. Nevertheless there are many 

 differences between the two genera. The tail of Bassaricyon is 



FIG. 214. Bassaricyon. hassancyon al'eni. x 



riot prehensile, and the animal, as will be seen from Fig. 214, 

 has a sharper snout ; the brain is more like that of Bassariscus. 

 The likeness to Cercoleptes can hardly perhaps be regarded as an 

 example of " mimicry " since the forms are so nearly related, and 

 the advantage of such an imitation remains to be proved. The 

 muzzle of Bassaricyon is grooved ; the ears are fairly large ; the 

 soles of the feet are naked ; there is but a single pair of teats. 

 There are two molars and four premolars to each half jaw. 



The dorsal vertebrae are thirteen in number; nine of the 

 ribs reach the sternum. The slenderness and convexity of the 

 lower margin of the lower jaw, as well as the feeble angular 

 process, distinguish this genus from its undoubtedly near ally 

 Cercoleptes. The dental formula also is different. 



Bassariscus has a ringed tail like a Raccoon, and is also 

 American in range ; it furthermore agrees with the Raccoon in 

 1 See Beddard, Proc. Zool. Soc. 1900, p. 661, for anatomy. 



