RACCOON FAMILY 



109 



The American Civet Cat has the misfortune to 

 be wrongly named. It is not a Cat, being more 

 like a weasel ; nor does it have any odor of civet 

 about it. Dr. Coues speaks of it as the Bassar- 

 isk ; and the reader may find other references 

 to it as the " Bassaris," "Cat Squirrel" (so 

 called in Texas) ; " Mountain Cat," and " Ring- 

 tailed Cat" (California), and " Cacomistl " 

 (Mexico). Dr. D. G. Elliot terms it the "Rac- 

 coon Fox," and this seems a very good name 

 for it ; for, as Dr. Hornaday pertinently remarks : 

 " The Bassarisk is, after the true Raccoon, the 

 only animal in the United States possessed of 

 a long, bushy tail with alternating black and 



round, catlike feet in the dry dust of the darkest 

 corners," and they will steal Wood Rats and 

 White- footed Mice caught in the traps of collect- 

 ors. Owing to the inaccessibility of their rock 

 dens, and their nocturnal habits, they are seldom 

 seen in the wild state. Mr. Bailey trapped a 

 pair in one of the canyons of the Rio Grande 

 and he says, " the male fought and screamed 

 viciously as we approached, but the female was 

 quiet and gentle. Even in the traps the anima- 

 tion and brightness of their faces were wonder- 

 ful. The large ears, when directed forward, 

 were in constant motion. The long, black, 

 vibrating moustache, the striking black and light 



By permission i>f the New V^rk Z-Mil-n^i, jl S.. iri\ 



RING-TAILED CAT 

 A little known wanderer along our Southwestern border, which has been blessed with many names 



white rings around it . . . and it has a many- 

 sided appetite like a Raccoon." 



The Ring-tailed Cat, is found in Mexico north 

 to California. In Texas, the tawny variety is 

 common throughout the State except in the open 

 plains of the western half. Although mainly a 

 dweller in cliffs and rocks, it is found also in 

 the chaparral, mesquite, and cactus plains of the 

 southern part of the State right down to the 

 coast, where it secures ample protection and 

 small game in greater abundance than in its 

 higher rocky haunts. According to Vernon 

 Bailey ("Biological Survey of Texas"), at 

 night " they prowl along the ledges of clififs from 

 cave to cave, leaving the prints of their little. 



face markings, and, most of all, the big. soft, 

 expressive eyes give a facial expression of un- 

 usual beauty and intelligence." 



They feed on small rodents, birds, insects 

 (including the centipede), and are not averse to 

 fruit. Traps set for them are often baited with 

 meat. Their nests, which are lined with moss, 

 are placed in the hollows of trees, and there are 

 usually three or four young in a litter. They are 

 very easily tamed, and are made household pets 

 by California miners and Texas ranchmen. The 

 latter say that they make better mousers than 

 domestic cats, and, if given free run of the prem- 

 ises, will lose no time in clearing a cabin of rats 

 and mice. 



