EING-T AILED CAT 81 



California Ring-tailed Cat. Bassariscus astutus raptor (Baird) 



Field characters. — Body slender and tail long, the two of about equal length; general 

 bulk that of house cat; ears broad, scantily haired; head and body 13i/^ to IS^^ inches 

 (346-396 mm.), tail 13%-15i/2 inches (350-392 mm.), ear about 1% inches (45-47 mm.) ; 

 weight 28-39 ounces (0.8-1.1 kg.). Body coloration drab brown, shaded with black 

 on back; under surface white; tail full-haired, with alternate rings of black and white; 

 a narrow black ring around eye, this nearly surrounded by white. 



Occurrence. — Moderately common resident in Upper Sonoran Zone on west slope of 

 Sierra Nevada. Recorded from Pleasant Valley eastward to El Portal ; also taken in one 

 verified instance on floor of Yosemite Valley. Inhabits rocky and brushy places, usually 

 near streams. 



The California Ring-tailed Cat, as might be inferred from its general 

 scheme of coloration and particularly from its zoned tail, is a relative 

 of the raccoon. In early days it was known commonly as 'miner's cat,' 

 because many of the gold-seekers in the Sierras kept the animal as a free- 

 roaming pet to rid their cabins of native mice. It has less often been called 

 ' civet cat, ' a doubly unfortunate choice of name, first, because the ring-tail 

 is in no wise related to the Old World civets ; second, because this particular 

 name is locally applied by trappers to our Spotted Skunk. The ring-tail 

 is not at all nearly related in either structure or habits to the cat family. 



In the fall and early winter of 1914 trappers in the vicinity of El 

 Portal captured a number of Ring-tailed Cats; the species seemed to be 

 common in the nearby caiions. One specimen was taken by our party at 

 Pleasant Valley on May 27, 1915; and in early February of 1920 Mr. F. S. 

 Townsley obtained an individual in Yosemite Valley. 



The California Ring-tailed Cat is of rather gentle demeanor, and hence 

 a desirable animal to keep as a pet. In the wild it seldom causes any 

 concern to people resident in the territory where it occurs, for its prey 

 is almost entirely the smaller native animals. Occasionally in dusty places 

 the small, somewhat cat-like tracks of the Ring-tailed Cat may be seen 

 in the early morning, showing where it has been hunting abroad at night 

 in search of wood rats, white-footed mice, and similar game. It spends 

 the davtime in small caves among rocks or in the hollows of logs or trees. 



California Coon. Procyon lotor psora Gray 



Field characters. — Body size that of dachshund; legs and tail both short; toes of 

 all feet long. Head and body 18 to 23 inches (460-585 mm.), tail lOi/^ to 12 inches 

 (264-308 mm.), ear 2 to 2% inches (52-65 mm.), weight 9 to 151/2 pounds (4.1-7 kg.) 

 [these figures from specimens taken elsewhere in California]. Body coloration grayish 

 brown, hairs on back tipped with black; tail with alternating rings of black and pale 

 ashy brown; face crossed by a conspicuous black band. Track: 'hand-like'; impressions 

 of all five toes and of ' palm ' showing distinctly. 



