224 CALIFORNIA MAMMAL.S. 



Family Procyonidae. (Raccoons, etc.) 



Plantis^-nulo or (lii^iti.uraile ; five toes on all the feet; tail long, 

 bushy, usually annulatctl with rings of different colors; rostmm 

 moderately long; molars tuberculate; teeth 36 to 40. 



This is a small family of five or six genera and alxnit a dozen 

 species. One genus iJ:liints) of southern Asia is i)laced in a 

 subfamily bv itself and may not belong to this family ; .all the other 

 genera are limited to temi>erate and tropical America. 



They ai-o principall}- norturnal, arbiM-eal and terrestrial. 

 Thev are but ])arily carnixorous, eating small birds, small mam- 

 mals, fish, eggs, insects, fruits and seeds. 



Genus Bassariscus Couks. (Little Fox.) 



Digitigrade: si/c rather small; body rather slender; ears 

 large, tail about as l<Mig as head and body, annulated. skull in 

 many respects like that of Fitlpcs in shai>e of teeth, shortness of 

 palate, flatness alx^\e {not strongly arched as in Procyon), 

 audital bulKx and surroundings part more like Procyo)i. 



Dental formula. 1. 3 — 3; C, i — 1 ; P, 4 — 4; M. -' — 2; Xj=40. 



Bassariscus astutus raptor Ikmrd. (Sagacious; a robber) 



CALIFORNIA RING-TAILED CAT. 



\\\H>d brown ilarkeneil above by black tips to the long hairs; 

 Ixdow butYy white; basal half oi the fur slate gray; grayish white 

 area around and behind the eye antl another l>elow the ears brown- 

 ish white darker on the external base; tail black above with about 

 seven narrow white rings, these white ring^s widening below and 

 taking the form of large connected triangles; soles of hind feet 

 thickly haired half way from the heels towards the claws. 



Length of male alxnit y6o mm. (30 inches); tail vertebrae 

 375 (14.75); ^liii^l '^^*'t (>7 (J.65); ear from crown 38 (1.50). 

 Weight two and one half iK)unds. Female smaller. 



California Ring- tailed Cats are not very common anywhere. 

 In southern California thev are rare. I have heard of onlv two 



