32 AOKTH AMERICAN FAUNA 60. FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE 



PROCYON LOTOR (Lixxaeus) 



|Syn<]ii\ ni\' ini'Icr' subspccii's] 



Distribution. — Transcontinental (except in the Rocky Mountain 

 region) from southern Canada to Panama, and islands near mainland 

 coast. The altitudinal and zonal ranges have been given under the 

 distribution of the various subspecies. 



General characters. — Size variable, general color of upper parts 

 ranging from iron grayish to blackish, more or less suffused with 

 ochraceous buff, especially on nape and lighter caudal rings; pelage 

 long, full, and soft in the northern subspecies, much shorter, thinner, 

 and stiffer in the more southern forms. Similar in external appearance 

 to, but differing in cranial characters from, distant insular animals 

 recognized as belonging to distinct species. 



Color. — Upper parts in general varying from iron grayish to blackish, 

 more or less suffused with buff, rusty, or "orange rufous," especially on 

 nape, the general tone depending much upon the relative width and 

 distribution of light subapical bands and black tips of long hairs; 

 dorsum more or less heavily overlaid with black, tending to thin out 

 and become grayer along sides; top of head varying mixtures of black 

 and white or gray, producing a grizzled effect ; face with a sharply 

 delimited black mask usually reaching from cheeks across eyes and 

 muzzle, with median extensions downward to rhinarium and upward 

 on forehead, more or less interrupted between the eyes, however, in 

 some forms; facial mask bordered above by conspicuous white lines 

 extending from near middle of forehead backward under ears or to 

 sides of neck; sides of muzzle, lips, and chin white; tufts of stiff, 

 whitish vibrissae 50 to 100 millimeters in length, arising from sides of 

 muzzle, and smaller, less conspicuous tufts arising, one on each side 

 over eyes and sides of cheeks; under parts, in general, thinly overlaid 

 with long grayish or buffy over hairs, only partially concealing the 

 dense brownish underfur; throat crossed by a distinct blackish or 

 brownish area, separated from facial mask by narrow white lines 

 extending posteriorly from muzzle; ears clothed with short grayish or 

 buffy hairs, with black areas varying in size and distinctness at 

 posterior base; forearms and thighs similar to under parts, but hind 

 legs more or less distinctly blackish near heels; fore feet whitish; hind 

 feet usually whitish, but dusky of ankles sometimes extending down 

 on metatarsus; toes of hind feet with a few grayish or dusky bristles 

 usually extending beyond ends of longest claws; tail above with five to 

 seven conspicuous black rings and a black tip, alternating with broader 

 grayish or buffy rings, the black rings less sharply defined and some- 

 times interrupted below. 



