THE SMALL BEARS. 



201 



The species shown in the illustration, the 

 Social Coati (Nasua socialis], fig. 100, attains 

 the length of a yard and more from the point 

 of the snout to the tip of the tail. The long- 

 haired coarse fur, which is but little valued in 

 commerce, is of a reddish-brown colour inclin- 

 ing to gray, with white spots on the snout 

 and round the eyes; 

 the tail is ringed. 



These animals live 

 in pretty numerous 

 companies in the 

 primeval forests of 

 their native land, and 

 hunt their prey with 

 much noise and clat- 

 ter. The old males 

 separate themselves 

 from these unruly 

 bands in order to live 

 as hermits, and rejoin 

 their companions 

 only at the season of 

 heat. The coatis are 

 the vagabonds of the 

 woods and forests. 

 They climb with 

 great dexterity, go 

 snorting and sniffing 

 all about both on 

 the ground and on trees, and are just as 



good at grubbing up roots, digging in the 

 ground with their snout like pigs, as they 

 are at snatching birds out of their nests on 

 the branches of the trees. Like the raccoons, 

 they gather into their store everything that 

 they can lay hold of, but prefer eggs, insects, 

 and fruits. They certainly damage the plan- 

 tations, but yet are not very much disliked, 

 since they but seldom attack the poultry. 

 At the breeding season violent battles take 

 place between the males. 



The coatis are fiery-tempered, pugnacious 

 animals, always quarrelling and fighting with 

 each other; but they fight out their domestic 

 brawls among themselves, and are always 



ready to support one another loyally against 

 a common enemy, and courageously to defend 

 their young, who follow their parents about 

 very early. They give each other warning 

 of the approach of danger by a peculiar shrill 

 cry. They are hunted with dogs for the 

 sake of their tender and highly palatable 



flesh. -When pur- 

 sued they at once 

 take to trees if they 

 can, but if pushed 

 into a corner they will 

 defend themselves 

 with spirit. 



In confinement 

 they show little at- 

 tachment to their 

 masters, to whom 

 they render no obedi- 

 ence, acting entirely 

 according to their 

 own good pleasure, 

 and becoming dis- 

 agreeable and even 

 dangerous when they 

 grow old. They are 

 set down as having 

 but little intelligence, 

 but they are only 

 defiant and indepen- 

 In our zoological gardens they are at 

 once the delight and terror of the monkeys, 

 with whom they are commonly associated. 

 The monkey cannot refrain from teasing 

 the coati, catching hold of its tail, which the 

 latter always carries straight up, and giving 

 it a good shake. The coati, who is thereby 

 thrown into a fury, turns round growling and 

 grunting to snap at its tormentor, who, how- 

 ever, escapes with a single spring to the top 

 of the cage. But the coati is a good climber. 

 In spite of the relative slowness of its move- 

 ments it pursues the monkey without cessation, 

 often for hours together, and does not give 

 up the chase till it has revenged itself with a 

 good bite. 



26 



101. The Kinkajou (Ccrcoleptes caiidivolvulus}. page 202, 



dent. 



