MAMMALS URSIDAE PROCYON. 207 



PROCYON, Storr. 



Procyon, " STORE, Prod. Meth. Anim. 1780." 

 GEN. CH. Body stout ; tail moderately long, not prehensile. Muzzle somewhat pointed. 



The genus Procyon belongs, with Nasua, Cercoleptes, &c., to the section of Ursidae, called 

 Sub-iirsus by Blainville, and distinguished from the true bears by the smaller size, longer tail, 

 more pointed muzzle, less number of teeth, &c. Among these Procyon is the only one found 

 as yet within the limits of the United States, although it is probable that Nasua, as well as 

 Ceicoleptes, extends pretty far north through Mexico. 



The shape of the Raccoon is not dissimilar to that of the badger, although it stands higher 

 on the legs. Its head is broad behind, but tapers rapidly to a point. The ears are short and 

 erect. The feet are all five-toed ; the soles naked. In walking, the entire sole is not applied 

 to the ground as it is when the animal is standing. 



The dental formula in Procyon, as well as in Nasua, is : incisors ~ 3 , canines , premolars 



^, molars ~ = 40 ; or one upper true molar on each side less than in Ursus. 



The head of the animals of this genus is broad and depressed, the muzzle pointed to the 

 truncate tip. The muffle is naked and quite large, projecting a little forward on the upper 

 outline, but without the great development of Nasua. The naked surface above is broader than 

 long, and the sub-horizontal nostrils, which, viewed laterally, represent the arc of a circle with 

 the convexity downwards, extend behind to the posterior border of the naked muffle. The 

 outline of the upper lip is continuous anteriorly, (not at all split ;) the distance from the edge 

 to the muffle is about equal to the height of the muffle anteriorly, and this space is covered with 

 hair. In Nasua the nostrils are seen more on the front of the muffle and reach behind only 

 halfway along its sides ; the upper surface of the muffle is twice as long as broad, and extends 

 forwards as a cartilaginous snout. 



The whiskers of Procyon are in four principal horizontal series, of five or six bristles in each ; 

 there is also a tuft over the eye, one behind the angle of the jaw, and one under the middle of 

 the chin. In one specimen of Nasua these bristles appear almost wanting. 



The ears are moderately large, sub-ovate, and rounded above. They are covered with hair, 

 except around the meatus. The length above the notch in P. lotor, and in the species gene 

 rally, is about equal to the distance from the end of the nose to the eye. 



The tail vertebra} are about half the length of the head and body, varying somewhat with 

 the species. The tail itself is well covered with hair, and marked alternately with black and 

 whitish rings. 



The feet are all five-toed, and have naked soles from the wrist and heel, the skin of which is 

 highly papillose, and evidently possesses a high degree of tactile sensibility. There are no 

 distinct warts, or raised pads, although narrow deep creases or furrows which traverse the 

 under surface in various directions correspond to similar, ones in the cats and weasels. The 

 claws are about equal in all the feet, considerably curved, not retractile, and moderately sharp. 

 The thumb of the fore foot in P. lotor is shortest, the tip of the claw extending as far as the 

 end of the outer digit ; the third finger is longest, the fourth but little shorter ; the claw of the 

 second reaches to the end of the third digit. On the hind foot, in the same species, the inner 

 toe is much shortest ; the third and fourth nearly equal and longest ; the second and fifth nearly 



