164 Mammals of Eastern Asia 
The Lesser Panda or Cat-bear, Ailurus fulgens, has a 
roundish head, large erect pointed ears, a long non-prehensile 
tail, feet with the soles almost entirely hairy, and semi-retractile 
claws. The color of the body varies from rusty to deep chestnut, 
darkest along the middle of the back. The tail is faintly ringed. 
There are small, dark-colored eye patches. The muzzle, lips, 
Fig. 36. Lesser Panda, Ailurus fulgens. 
cheeks, and the edges of the ears, which have conspicuous long 
tufts of hairs, are white. The limbs, underparts, and the back 
of the ears are black. The typical race occurs in the Himalayas. 
The Lesser Pandas behave very much like Raccoons. They 
readily sit up on their hind quarters ; they seem to be more or 
less omnivorous, eating vegetable matter and an occasional 
bird or mouse. 
The Chinese Lesser Panda, A. f. styani, is a race distin- 
guished from the Himalayan form by its more convex forehead 
and larger size. The length of the head and body is 2 feet, of 
the tail 16 inches, of the hind foot 4% inches. It is found in 
Yunnan, Szechwan, and extreme northern Burma. 
THE GIANT PANDA (FAMILY AILUROPODID^) 
The Giant Panda, Ailuropoda melanoleucus, the only living 
species of mammal contained in its family, represents an isolated 
