1012 Life-histories of Northern Animals 



the ear behind is whitish. The tail, beginning with the tip, has 

 6 to 7 rings of very dark brown or black on a pale yellowish 

 background. The under-fur is dark brownish-gray and shows 

 much on the under parts; the throat also is dark brownish-gray; 

 the eyes are dark; the whiskers white. The sexes are alike. 



Where seen alive, the Raccoon is readily distinguished by 

 its size and its bushy tail with black rings. 



The following races are recognized: 



lotor Linnaeus, the typical form. 

 elucus Bangs, a darker, shorter-haired, long-tailed race. 

 mexicaniis Baird, a large, pale gray race, with long tail. 

 hernandezi Wagler, a very large dark form, with very 



narrow rings on tail. 

 pallidus Merriam, a medium-sized pale gray form, 



without any yellow suffusion. 

 insularis Merriam, small and pale. 



Life-history. 



RANGE Map 54 sets forth the range of this wide ranger. In the 



east and north-east it is fairly well ascertained, but must be 

 greatly modified by further investigation in the south-west, 

 west, and south. 



IN MANi- In primitive days the Raccoon was quite abundant along 



'^°^'^ the Upper Red River, as is attested by the Journal of A. Henry, 

 the fur-trader, who, about loo years ago, wrote at Park River 

 House, on Red River, 35 miles south of the Boundary. Here 

 he collected annually 100 to 200 skins. Since then this animal's 

 numbers have increased and decreased several times; they are 

 now at a low ebb. It is still found in south-western Manitoba, 

 but is exceedingly rare, although, according to Herrick,^ it 

 ranges over the entire wooded parts of Minnesota. 



' Mam. Minn., 1892, p. 139. 



