CLASS MAMMALIA. 



FIG. 423, 



Bus' saris aslu'ta. Raccoon-fox. 



FIG. 434. 



The Raccoon-fox of Mexico, and the south-west por- 

 tions of the United States, is raccoon-like in appearance 

 and habits, but differs 

 in the length and size 

 of its banded tail, and 

 its more arboreal life. 

 The California miners 

 make it a domestic pet. 

 The Raccoon is the 

 only representative of 

 its family in the United 

 States. It derives its 

 specific name from its habit of dipping its food in the 

 water before eating. Though its entire foot is naked, 

 yet in walking it does not bring its whole sole to the 



. ground. Omnivorous 

 in its food, it is, ac- 

 cording to circum- 

 stances, a fisher, a 

 hunter, a trapper, a 

 reaper, or a fly-catcher, 

 having the instinctive 

 cunning of the fox, 

 the inquisitive med- 

 dlesomeness of the 

 monkey, the greedi- 

 ness of the bear, and the slyness of the cal. 



The Bear is a typical example of a plantigrade (see 

 Glossary). The entire sole of the foot applied to the 

 ground ; the broad flat crowns of the molars ; large, 

 curved, non-retractile claw^s ; smooth tongue ; mobile nose; 

 circular pupils, and short tail, exhibit such variations 

 from the strictly carnivorous animals as betoken different 



Pi'ii'cijon lo'tor. 

 Raccoon, or Common "Coon." 



