RACCOONS OF NORTH AND AIIDDLE AMERICA 71 



liasal length, 110.8, 110.5; zygomatic breadth, 81.1, 80.6; interorbital breadth, 

 2(i.8, 24.8; least width of palatal shelf, 15.1, 14.8; maxillary tooth row, 44, 41.9; 

 upper carnassial, crown length, 8.9, 7.6, crown width, 9.6, 9. 



Remarks. — The range of P. I. pumilus marks the known extreme 

 soiithcni Hmit of the Procyon lotor group. Its distribution area 

 overlaps tliat of Procyon. cancrirorus panam.ensis, the so-called crab- 

 eating raccoon, the two occurring in the same localities in the Canal 

 Zone and vicinity. From the latter it is easily distinguished extern- 

 ally by its smaller size, more slender proportions, grayish instead of 

 blackish forearms and thighs, presence of underfur, and the normal 

 inclination backward of the pelage of the nape which in the crab- 

 eating raccoon is reversed. The skull is recognizable especially 

 by the smaller molars, with more pointed instead of rounded cusps. 

 Althotigh the dentition of pumUus is not so well fitted as that of the 

 crab-eating raccoon for crushing hard substances such as crabs, it 

 shares with it the crab-eating habit, at least to some extent, as shown 

 by the examination of stomach contents. 



P. I. pumilus is most closely allied to P. I. crassidens. In external 

 appearance some specimens of the two are practically indistinguisha- 

 ble, although the white supraorbital lines are usually less distinct in 

 pumilus; but the skull is notable for its shortness; and in the general 

 flatness, and length of the postorbital processes it reaches the extreme 

 development presented in the grotip. Material now available, 

 including a series of six topotypes (Balboa and Ancon, the type locality, 

 are contiguous), shows that this raccoon is not so very small as the 

 type, an inuisually under-sized and not ftdly adidt individiud, seemed 

 to indicate. 



Specimens examined. — Total number, 15, as follows: 



Canal Zone: Ancon, 1 (type); Balboa, 6;^^ Gatun, 4. 



Panama: Boqueron, 1;^^ Pedregal, 1;''^ Porto Bello, 2. 



PROCYON INSULARIS Merriam 



[References under subspecies] 



Distribution. — Tres Marias Islands, off west coast of Nayarit, 

 Mexico. 



General characters. — A large, pale species, with short, coarse pelage 

 and massive skull. Similar to adjacent mainland forms of P. lotor 

 (P. I. mexicanus and P. I. hernandezii), but pelage shorter, more 

 bristly, color inclining toward buffy instead of iron grayish, the back 

 less overlaid with black; black postauricular spots much smaller, less 

 conspicuous; skull more angular and differing in important details. 



>■ Chicago Mus. Nat. Hist. 

 « Amer. Mus. Nat. Hist. 

 " Mus. Comp. Zool. 



