COAITI, OR COAITI-MONDI.—Ndsua Rifa. 
as to form a miniature and mobile proboscis. In their general habits and diet, they 
very strongly resemble the racoons, and are as admirable climbers of trees as can be 
found in the animal kingdom. 
The extraordinary snout with which the Coaitis are gifted is very useful to the 
possessor, being employed for the purpose of rooting in the ground in search of worns 
and insects, together with other important uses. When they drink, the Coaitis lap the 
water after the manner of dogs, and when so engaged, turn up their flexible snouts, so 
as to keep that useful member from being wetted more than is necessary. They are 
inhabitants of Southern America, and are found in small companies upon the trees among 
which they reside, and on the thin branches of which they find the greater part of their 
food. Two examples of the Coaitis will be briefly described. 
The Coatti-MONDI, or Rep Coartt, derives its name from the reddish-chesnut hue 
which prevails over the greater portion of the fur, and is only broken by the black ears 
and legs, the maroon-coloured bands upon the tail, and the white hairs which edge the 
upper jaw, and entirely cover the lower. The texture of the fur is rather harsh and wiry, 
and of no very great importance in commerce. Upon the paws are certain curious 
tubercles, which alone would serve to identify the animal were it entirely destroyed with 
the exception of a single foot. It is extremely active in the ascent and descent of trees, 
and pursues its prey among the limbs with great certainty. Its food consists of sundry 
vegetable and animal substances, but the creature seems to prefer the latter to the 
former. 
When the Coaiti descends a tree, it does so with its head downward, securing itself 
from falling by hitching the claws of the hinder feet into the inequalities of the bark, and 
displaying ‘by the act no small amount of flexibility in the jointing of the hinder limbs. 
It is a nocturnal animal, and does not display its true liveliness until the shades of 
evening begin to draw on, but lies curled up in a curious but comfortable attitude, its 
long and bushy tail serving for blanket and pillow. Towards evening, however, the 
Coaiti arouses itself from its. lethargy, and becomes full of life and vigour, careering about 
the branches with extraordinary rapidity of movement and certainty of hold, and 
agitating its mobile nose with unceasing energy, as if for the purpose of discovering by 
the snout the presence of some welcome food. It is a merciless robber of birds’ nests, 
and will eat parent, eggs, or young, with equal appetite. 
Although possessed of a very irritable temper, the Coaiti is tamed without difficulty 
to a certain extent, but is always capricious in its affections, and cannot be trusted without 
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