RACCOONS OF NORTH AND MIDDLE AAIERICA 17 



terior), and Horace J. McMullen, of the then National Association of 

 the Fur Industry (Ashbrook and McMullen 1925). The data 

 gathered from the principal fur auctions in the United States and in 

 London, and from raw fur receiving houses indicated that the average 

 yearly production of raccoon pelts for the 10 years preceding 1925 

 was 600,000 to 1,000,000. These figures were also taken to represent 

 the average yearly consumption for the period stated. [The most 

 recent (1948) information compiled by the Fish and Wildlife Service 

 indicates an annual take of from 1 to IK million pelts in the United 

 States.] 



The raccoon has an assured place as one of the more important 

 American fur-bearing animals and will continue to hold this position 

 so long as it can be maintained in suitable numbers. [It is outnum- 

 bered only by the muskrat, opossum, and skunk in pelts taken.] 



The natural supply of raccoon furs is being gradually reduced 

 through the general encroachment of civilization upon the range of 

 the animal. Aside from trapping for the fur, hunting for sport with- 

 out adequate regidations, and harassment by dogs, the drainage of 

 water areas and the cutting of timber, especially the older trees afford- 

 ing convenient sheltering hollows, have resulted in conditions unfa- 

 vorable for raccoons. Displaying wonderful adaptability, raccoons 

 still maintain themselves even in many well-settled areas, often in the 

 vicinity of human habitations or even large cities, with a persistence 

 truly remarkable. Experiments have been conducted on raising 

 raccoons in captivity. Much should be done, however, to further 

 l)etter management of the raccoon in the wild, not only as an important 

 fur bearer and for the sport afforded in its chase, but as a characteristic 

 American animal of outstanding general interest owing to its peculiar 

 and attractive habits. 



GENERAL CHARACTERS 



The raccoons as a whole present a narrow range of variation in 

 external appearance. The general color pattern, including the black 

 facial mask and the barred tail, is everywhere very similar, even for 

 the two subgenera. The subgenus Procyon, embracing the numerous 

 forms of the typical North American group, is, however, easily dis- 

 tinguished by the normal, or backward direction of the hair on the 

 nape, by the presence of underfur, and by the grayish forearms and 

 thighs. In Euprocyon, on the other hand, the pelage of the nape is 

 reversed, underfur is absent, and the forearms and thighs are usually 

 blackish instead of grayish. 



The normal number of mammae seems to be six in both Procyon and 

 Euprocyon, but has been found to vary to eight in the latter subgenus. 

 Cranial and dental subgeneric distinctions are pointed out in the 

 treatment of subgeneric characters. 



