578 HISTORY OF PASADENA. 



e3^e ol the mole has, from disuse, degenerated to some extent, but it is by no 

 means useless, as is generally supposed. Moles should not be destroyed, as 

 they annually kill vast numbers of insects injurious to vegetation. It has 

 been estimated that a single mole will destroy 20,000 insects in a year. 



Of the animals referred to above, the squirrels, rabbits, rats, kangaroo 

 rat, and gopher belong to the order of Rodents, or gnawing animals. The 

 Mole and its allies belong to another group, the Insectivora. 



Bats. — We have about Pasadena several species, but perhaps the most 

 ' interesting and conspicuous form is a long-eared bat, Macrotus Calif ornicus, 

 with an expanse of wing of nearly eighteen inches, a long head, and 

 prominent almond-shaped ears. My first acquaintance with this little 

 creature was in the mountains. I was awakened by what I thought was a 

 draught blowing over my face. Again it came — a soft breeze lasting for a 

 second, and I realized that a large bat was flying around the room. The 

 bats here have the advantage of those farther north. The latter hibernate 

 or go into winter quarters in November and lie dormant until the return of 

 insect life in the spring. During this time they eat nothing, and nearly all 

 the functions of life are at a standstill ; the Pasadena bats, on the contrary, 

 living in an exceptional climate, enjoy life at night all the year round. 



A small bat {scotophiliis hesperus) with an expanse of about seven 

 inches, is common here, while vespertilo nitidus is another small form. All 

 these are insect eaters, living on the nocturnal insects. During the daytime 

 the bats creep into dark places — chimneys, holes in trees, old roofs, caves 

 and crevices in the rocks. 



Civet Cat. — One of the most attractive of the carnivora about Pasa- 

 dena is the little animal known as the civet cat, " Pacific cat, " and other 

 names, and to the Mexicans as " Caca-mixtli " or rush cat. To science it is 

 Dassaris, the species being known as astuta and stunichra ti, and is the 

 American representative of the Nas7ia, and closely allied to the coon. It 

 looks not unlike a cat, but has large ears and a fine, long, many-ringed tail. 

 The little animal is nocturnal in its habits and gives little or no evidence of 

 its agility during the day, but at night is Hterally as playful as a kitten. It 

 feeds upon birds and small animals, and has been a puzzle to systematists, 

 who yet dispute as to its proper place in the scale of life. 



Note. — This so-called "civet cat" is such an exceptional little animal, 

 being unknown in the Eastern States, that I will give more space to its con- 

 sideration. The following article from the Los Angeles Times has a local 

 historic interest, and at the same time illustrates what Prof. Holder says 

 about the animal being " a puzzle to systematists :" 



Pasadena, Aug. 31, 1893.— (To the editor of The Times.') There is 

 a question of ' ' civet-cat or coon ' ' (?) at Hotel Rubio, the solution of which 

 will be of interest to all lovers of beautiful wild animals. For a week or 

 more some very cunning wild animal had been depredating the pantry, and 

 especially feasting on fresh fruits kept in store. But on Monday night it was 

 caught unhurt in a box trap, and put into a large wire cage for exhibition. 

 It is one of the prettiest wild animals known in California zoology. Dr. 

 Reid of Pasadena pronounced it a California coon, but others present .said 

 Thaddeus Lowe, Jr., had told them it was a civet-cat. Thus the local 

 doctors of zoology differed, and, as usual, some sided with one and some 

 with the other. The fact is, however, that both gentlemen were a little 



