BASSARICYON, 489 
widest posteriorly; palate flat, long, and broad, with an azygos 
process in center of the arch; paroccipital and mastoid processes only 
slightly developed; molar depressed and expanded outwardly, form- 
ing a triangular plane beneath the orbit; zygomata widely expanded, 
the outer border nearly on a line with the skull’s axis; nasals broad. 
rather short; mandible is nearly straight on inferior outline; coronoid 
process with the anterior border straight, its apex pointed; teeth 
similar to those of Procyon, but the canines are smaller, and the molars 
shorter; the last upper molar being subtriangular, with rounded inner 
and posterior outer angles. 
483. gabbi (Bassaricyon), Allen, Proc. Acad. Nat. Scien. Phil., 1876, 
p. 20, pl. 1. 
GABB’s Coon. 
Type locality. Costa Rica. 
Genl. Char. Those of the genus. 
Color. Unknown. 
Measurements. Skull: total length, 77.5; greatest width, 48.7; 
at mastoid processes, 33.2; interorbital width, 15; basal length, 73.7; 
length of upper molar series, 23; of lower molar series, 23.7; length of 
mandible, 55. 
The animals contained in the next genus are so well known that 
they can be dismissed in a few words. The common species, P. lotor, 
is the type, and is a rather clumsy creature, stoutly built and slow of 
movement, with a thick, coarse coat of moderately long hair. It is 
omnivorous, feeds upon everything it can masticate, is strictly noc- 
turnal, and is fond of resorting to the banks of lakes and streams. It 
is a good swimmer and expert fisher, and secures its finny prey by 
snatching it out of the shallows. The Raccoon hibernates in the 
hollow of a tree trunk or of some dead limb, where it passes the 
severest winter months, and the young are born in the spring, usually 
four or six in number. Coons are cleanly in their habits, and wash 
everything before eating, even shell-fish being so treated. It is a 
very cunning animal, and employs considerable strategy when 
escaping from its enemies, and is also most inquisitive, and exceed- 
ingly restless at all times except when asleep. There are several 
varieties, more or less closely resembling the type, and one species 
with shorter fur and a more slender body lives principally upon crabs, 
and derives its trivial name from those crustaceans. 
