48 NORTH AMERICAN FAUNA (iO, FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE 



female topotypes, respectively: 003, G20; 212, 232; 83, 97; weight (pounds), 4, 5. 

 Skull: Type: Greatest length, 100; condylobasal length, 94.7; zygomatic breadth, 

 04.5; interorbital breadth, 19.4; least width of palatal shelf, 13.9; maxillary tooth 

 row (alveoli), 37.4; upper carnassial, crown length, 7.8, crown width, 8.0. Aver- 

 age of five adult male topotypes: Greatest length, 102.1 (99.9-105.9); condylo- 

 basal length, 97 (94.3-101); zygomatic breadth, 03.5 (00.2-00.2); interorbital 

 breadth, 20 (18.8-22.7); least width of palatal shelf, 14 (13.4-15); ma.xillary 

 tooth row, 38 (30.4-38.9); upper carnassial, crown length, 7.8 (7.0-8.1), crown 

 width, 9 (8.7-9.3). Two adult female topotypes: Greatest length, 93.0, 97.5; 

 condylobasal length, 89.4, 94; zygomatic breadth, 59.8, 58.7; interorbital breadth, 

 18.8, 19; least width of palatal shelf, 14, 13.8; maxillary tooth row, 35, 30.0; 

 upper carnassial, crown length, 7.4, 7.7, crown width, 8.3, 8.0. 



Remarks. — The Key Vaca raccoon is one of the most sahent in 

 characters of the subspecies inhabiting the Florida Keys. It re- 

 sembk^s P. I. incautus in pale coloration, but departs from all in 

 combination of cranial features. Its range is the most restricted of 

 any of the Florida races. 



Specimens examined. — Thirte(>n, from typo locality. 



PROCVON LOTOR INCAUTUS Nelson 



Torch Key Raccoon 



Procyon lotor inraiitu.'i Nelson, Smithsn. Misc. Collect. 82 (8): 10, July 10, 1930. 



Tyj)e locality. — Torch Key, Big Pine Key Group, Monroe County, 

 Fla. 



Type. — No. 255060, male adult, skin and skull, United States 

 National Museum; collected by E. W. Nelson, March 24, 1930. 



Distribution. — Big Pine Key Group, near southwestern end of 

 chain of Florida keys. Tropical Zone. 



General characters. — A small, very pale subspecies, palest of the 

 Florida forms, with skull highly arched, and narrow between orbits. 

 Closely resembling P. I. auspicatus of Key Vaca in color, but cranial 

 characters, especially the narrower, high frontal region, distinctive. 

 Decidedly paler than P. I. marinus or P. I. inesperatus of Upper 

 Matecumbe Key, and skull difl"ering in important details. 



Color. — Very pale, similar to that of P. I. auspicatus, but averaging 

 even paler, especially on head and face, the black mask more restricted, 

 more distinctly interrupted between eyes, the whitish areas cor- 

 respondingly extended and more completely isolating the dusky 

 median streak; upper surface of muzzle light buffy; rusty nuchal 

 patch conspicuous, inclining toward yellowish in worn pelages; dark 

 rings on tail rusty brown, as in auspicatus, but usually broader. 



Cranial characters. — Cranium small, with narrow, highly arched 

 frontal region and light dentition. Averaging larger than that of 

 P. I. auspicatus, with frontal region narrower, usually more highly 

 arched; palatal shelf extending farther behind plane of last molars; 



