280 HISTORY OF CALIFORNIA. 



by four or five rings of black ; the under parts of the 

 body are whitish, and so are the feet and the face, 

 with the exception of a black band, which begins near 

 the eye, and extends down the side of the neck ; the 

 claws have more the character of digging than of pre- 

 hensile claws ; the soles of the feet are furnished with 

 five elastic tubercles upon each, one near the heel, 

 one at the base of the thumb of the first toe and of 

 the last toe, and the remaining one between the basis 

 of the two middle ones, which toes are longer than 

 any of the others; notwithstanding that it is partially 

 digitigrade, and does not apply the whole length of 

 the foot at every plant, the racoon is rather a clumsy 

 walker, and their gait may be described as being 

 heavy compared with the true digitigrade animals, 

 though it is light as compared with that of the bears. 

 They can readily stand erect on their hind feet, and 

 lay hold with their fore ones ; but this operation of 

 grasping is not performed by the contracting of one 

 paw, but by pressing both together. They do not 

 possess the same pliability in the internal part of the 

 fingers as the quadrumana, but, by clasping both 

 paws together, they can, by this means, carry their 

 food to their mouth. The animals have a habit of 

 plunging their food in water, and then rolling it be- 

 tween their paws, before they devour it. Their sight 

 is very delicate, and they have great difficulty in 

 distinguishing objects in the bright sunshine, or any 

 other strong light. In the daytime they generally 

 remain inactive, seated on their posteriors, with the 

 head reclining between the thighs, thus presenting 

 the appearance of a ball; but, in the night, they 

 evince considerable activity in roaming abroad in 

 quest of their food, which consists of worms, insects, 



