THE MAMMALS OF NEW JERSEY. 105 



time with a meadow mouse in his mouth, which was stored 

 away in the burrow. I saw him bring- in six while I watched, 

 and each time he reached the swamp by exactly the same route. 



The smaller, Bonaparte's Weasel occurs farther north and 

 may sometimes occur in the northwestern counties. It has a 

 shorter tail, not exceeding one-quarter of the total length. 



Putorius novehoracensis Abbott, Cook's Geol. of N. J., 1868 

 p. 753. — Rhoads, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Phila., 1897, p. 31. — 

 Rhoads, Mam. Pa. and N. J., 1903, p. 170. 



Putorius Wmineus Abbott, A Naturalist's Rambles, 18185, 

 p. 448. 



Mustela pusilla Beesley, Geol. Cape May Co., 1857, p. 137. 



Family PROCYONID^. 



Raccoons and Their Allies. 



These are small or medium-sized bear-like carnivorous ani- 

 mals of which only one species, the common raccoon occurs in 

 New Jersey. 



Genus Procyon Storr. 



Raccoons. 

 Procyon lotor (Linnaeus). 



Raccoon. 



Plate 54- 



Length, 32 inches. Hair long, rather coarse. General color 

 g"ray, hair dusky or black at the tip, darker on the back; face 

 whitish, with a black area on each cheek surrounding the eye; 

 feet black; tail bushy, grayish white, with black rings. 



Though a member of the carnivora the raccoon is quite will- 

 ing to devour any sort of fruit that comes in his way, and is par- 

 ticularly fond of fresh corn. Small animals he also devours, as 

 well as eggs of both domestic and wild fowls and fowls them- 

 selves when opportunity offers. 



