418 THE NARICA, OR QUASJE. 
danger. When attacked by men or dogs, the Coaiti fights desperately, and can inflict 
such dangerous wounds with- its double-edged canine teeth, that it is, although so small 
an animal, no despicable antagonist. : 
ANOTHER species of Coaiti inhabits the same regions as the last-mentioned animal. 
This is the NARICA, or QUASJE, which is sometimes called the BRowNn CoaItt, in order to 
distinguish it from the red species. Sometimes the name is spelled as Quaschi. 
It is a very lively and amusing animal, and possessed of singular powers of nose and 
limb. Distrustful by nature, it will very seldom venture to approach a strange object 
until it has endeavoured to ascertain the nature of the unknown, by means of its sense of 
smell, which is marvellously acute. It seems to be as inquisitive as it is distrustful, and 
will not be satisfied until it has by gradual degrees approached and examined anything 
which it does not quite understand. 
One of these animals, which was kept in confinement for some time, was extremely 
tame to those who understood the peculiarity of its temper, but was irresistibly morose 
and sulky with those who would not respect its customs. Any stranger who ventured to 
NARICA, OR QUASJE.—Nasua Narica, 
approach the animal was repelled with open mouth and threatening cries, unless he 
propitiated the creature by offering it some delicacy of which it was fond. It would then 
lay aside its suspicious demeanour, and become suddenly confidential, returning the 
caresses of its newly-found friend, and searching eagerly for a further supply of food. 
It proved to be quite a useful inhabitant of the house when it was domesticated, for 
it was accustomed to roam over the premises in chase of mice and rats, which it pursued 
unrelentingly through house, hay-loft, and stables. It was also accustomed to pay visits 
into the garden, where it spent much of its time in catching snails and slugs, and in 
digging after worms,—a task for which its powerful claws are eminently calculated to 
adapt it. When it was supplied with meat, it was accustomed to tear its food to pieces 
with its claws before carrying it to the mouth; and in the act of feeding, it always 
supplied itself by hitching one of its claws in the morsel which it was about to carry to 
its mouth. It struck up a friendship with a little dog, and would permit its four-footed 
friend to occupy the same bed, but would never endure the society of any other 
animal. 
The colour of this creature is extremely variable, as it seldom or never happens that 
two specimens are marked in precisely the same manner. In some individuals the dark 
portion of the fur is brown, mottled with black ; but the general hue of the fur is a brown, 
