126 THE LIVING ANIMALS OF THE WORLD 



Photo by A. S. Rutland & Sent 



GREAT PANDA 



This -very rare animal is found on the high plateau of Tibet 



A gentleman who kept one 

 says : " It opens oysters with 

 wonderful skill. It is sufficient 

 for it to break the hinge with 

 its teeth ; its paws complete 

 the work of getting out the 

 oyster. It must have a 

 delicate sense of touch. In 

 this operation it rarely avails 

 itself of sight or smell. It 

 passes the oyster under its 

 hind paws ; then, without 

 looking, it seeks with its 

 hands the weakest place. It 

 there digs in its claws, forces 

 asunder the valves, and tears 

 out the flesh in fragments, 

 leaving nothing behind." Its 

 favourite haunt is in the cane- 

 brakes of the south. There 

 the planters follow it by night with dogs, and shoot it in the trees in which it takes refuge. The 

 skins, with handsome alternations of yellow and brown, make fine carriage rugs. 



THE COATIS. 



The COATIS are small arboreal creatures, with the habits of a raccoon and squirrel fairly pro- 

 portioned. They are flesh-eaters, but active and playful. Their long pig-like snouts give them 

 an unpleasant appearance. They inhabit Mexico and Central and South America as far as 

 Paraguay. Several specimens are generally to be seen at the Zoological Gardens. Their habits 

 are much the same as those of the small tree climbing cats, but with something of the badger 

 added. Insects and worms, as well as birds and small animals, form their food. 



THE PANDAS AND KINKAJOU. 



Among the small carnivorous mammals the BEAR-CAT, or PANDA, is a very interesting crea- 

 ture. Its colour is striking a beautiful red-chestnut above, the lower surface jet-black, the tail 

 long and ringed. The quality of the fur is fine also. It is found in the Eastern Himalaya, and 

 is as large as a badger. The GREAT PANDA, from Eastern Tibet, is a much larger, short-tailed, 

 black-and-white animal, once thought to be a bear. The KINKAJOU has a prehensile tail, and 

 uses its paws as hands so readily that it was formerly placed among the lemurs. It is a native 

 of Southern and intertropical America. Nocturnal, and living in the great forests, *t is seldom 

 seen by man. Its head is round and cat-like, its feet are the same, but with non-retractile claws, 

 and it has a long, full tail. It has a long tongue, with which it can lick out insects from the 

 crevices and holes of trees. Baron von Humboldt says that it attacks the nests of wild bees. It 

 uses its tongue to draw objects of food towards it, even if they are not living. A pleasant 

 description of this animal appeared in Charles Knight's " Museum of Animated Nature," pub- 

 lished many years ago : " In its aspect there is something of gentleness and good-nature. In 

 captivity it is extremely playful, familiar, and fond of being noticed. One lived in the gardens of 

 the Zoological Society for seven years. During the greater part of the morning it was asleep, 

 rolled up in a ball in its cage. In the afternoon it would come out, traverse its cage, take food, 

 and play with those to whom it was accustomed. Clinging to the top wires of its cage with its 

 tail and hind paws, it would thus swing itself backwards and forwards. When thus hanging, it 



