00 tin \i"\i'i. ni: iu:i> M/.I//V. 



more addicted to cam -ricide than t he animal which ha* just been described. In site it b 

 tiuin the common Racoon. anil it* color is nut .put.- tin- same. 



Tin- tail is -hurt in pio|-,niou t,, tli.- l>d\. and is marked with six Mark rings u|x>n a 

 grayish or blockish. \.-ll.m -round. Tin- fur of the bod\ is miner variable In different indnid- 

 uuls, but is general) \ com|.os-d of a blackish -ray washed with a tinge of \ellow, thedaik.r 

 ni. I ill.- lighter tint* predominating on .hlf. n-nt part* f tin- l*l\ ami limb*. On the head, 

 n-1-k. and alc.n- lli- spin--, ill.- black tinge prevail*, while tin- n-st of th' Uidy ainl tin- sides of 

 the neck aiv almost \\lmll\ uf tin- y.-llowish -ra\ hue. A very dark bpiwn patch encloses each 

 \ . ,i!i.l. |Kissiii< backwards almost -,, ::.....:-. || >.,. i . . I :..,., . j. : i k -|- - n UMCCOimd ''. 

 head. Tin* Racoon has be-ii m.-ntioned by several traveller* nndi-r dilfi-n-nt nanicn, mu-h as 

 M ii.a. h. \-.'II:IP.I|M.|N'-. ^ llani-.iiiui. M:i\il.-. \\'as<-li-Iiiir. and Ciontlamacuqae. 



T!i .Ili-nt tiirnn* of wliii-h is h-ri- uhi-n. i^ ]H-Miliar to tin- North \nn-riuin 



t. It.Hgeographiral range is very great, U-IIIL: fonn.l in i-vcry |Mirtiun of North Amer- 

 ica, a* high as 00*. Paraguay is as far .south as it ha* Uvn obs-rvixl. Its haditsan- niM-tiinial. 

 Thonirli if is raiiii\on>Ms |.\ natnrv. it ]irefera vegetable food ut times, as is the at- \\iih tin- 

 Bhwk Dear. 



Tlie Blark fo.td Racoon inhahits th.- I'-i.-ilir ron*t from I'np-t's Sound to tin- Kiotirand.- 

 in Texas. It is lik.- the preoedini: in c'-ii'-nil ap]N>ar.iiici*. but i-xr. N it in si. 



Tin- I's4ira. or California Coon < l'nn-ifi>ii ptorm\ wa* diHCtiven 1 *! on tin- 1'acitic coji.st just 

 befon- tin- occnjwitioii <>f California l>y tin- I nit-<l States. It is more do^-Iik<> in pMu-nil 

 a|i]H-:inuic.'. standini: hiu'lu-r. and having a >l.-nd-r tail. Tin- ( ndi-iting Hacoon is found in 

 Aiiu-rica and farther .south. 



Tin: animals which romjKisc tin- curious ir'-nns that is kii..\\ii ly the nanu- of Narica. an* 

 easily recopii/>-d on acc.iunt of th- singular lenirth >f the nos*-. wiiich is pnilonp-d so as to 

 form a miniature and mobile |mtlH)s-is. In th'ir general habits and diet they very stronuly 

 resemble the niciMins. and are as adminible climbent of trees as can l- found in tin- animal 



The extmonlinary snout with which the Coaitia are gifte<l is v-ry useful to the JK.~ 

 being emplov.il for the p;ii]osof rtxitiiiir in the ground in Hfun-h of worms and insi-<-is. 

 togethei ivitli Dthei imjHtrtant IIM-S. \\ h. n the\ drink, T h.' Coaitin I q. the watei aftei ih.- 

 manner of dogs, and when so e!Uip*d, turn up their tli-\il>l>- snout*, so as to k--p that useful 

 member from U-inu' etii-d nmi-i- than is necessary. They are inhabitant* of Southern Anu-rica, 

 and aii- fc.im 1 in small coinpanii-s up<ni the trees aniotii: which th>-\ i- ~i i.-. and on the thin 

 branches of which they lind the greater jwrt of tlu-ir f<M>.l. Two examples of the Coaitis will 

 lie lu-ietly de-crilM-d. 



Tlie COAITI-MOMU. or lii.n Co vi 1 1. d. -rives its name from tin- reddish chestnut hue which 

 prevails over the greater |>ortion of the fur, and is only broken by the black ear* and leg*, the 

 maroon-colored bands upon the tail, and the white hairs which -dge the upper jaw. and entirely 

 cover the lower. Tlie texture of the fur is nit her harsh and wiry, and of no very great imjKir- 

 tanee in commerce. I'IKIII the JMIWS are certain curious tul-rcl.-s. which alone would serve to 

 identify the animal were it entirely destroyed with the exception of a single foot. It is 

 ivmely active in the ascent and descent of trees, and pursues it* prey am<.n.' the limbs with 

 great certainty. Its food consiM- of sundry vegetable and animal subatances. but th-- .-i.-atui.- 

 seems to prefer the latter to the former. 



When tin- Coaiti descends a IP-.-, it doe* so with its head downward, securing it*elf from 

 falling by hitchii-i: the claws of the hinder feet into th- inequalities of the Uirk. and display 

 in- by the act no small amount of flexibility in the jointinir of the hinder limbs. It is a M 

 turnal animal, and does not display its true liveliness until the shade* of .-veiling be#in to 

 draw on. but lies curled up in a curious l.iit comfortable attitude, its l,,nir and bushy tail 

 ing for blanket and pillow. Toward* evening, however, the Coaiti arouses it*elf from its 

 lethargy, and becomes full of life and vigor, can-erini: aUiut tin- branches with extraordinary 

 rapidity of mo\.-ni.-nt and certainty of hold, and agitating its mobile nose with unc.-ji.sing 



-ry, as if for the purpose of dis.v. rim: by the snout sence of some welcome food. 



