THE RACCOON FAMILY. 205 



feet, they climb trees. They inhabit the warm climates 

 of America, and their diet is nearly the same as that of 

 the Marten in Europe. 



The Cacomistle or Bassarisk is a small member of the 

 Raccoon family, inhabiting Mexico and parts of the United 

 States. Its body is sixteen inches long 1 , and its tail will 

 measure about fifteen inches. It is rather slender, has a 

 sharp, fox-like face, and large bright eyes surrounded by 

 light patches which, with the erect ears, give an alert and 

 pleasing expression to the countenance. Its fur is long, 

 soft and light brown above, darkest along the back, and 

 the long bushy tail has six or eight broad, white rings; 

 the fur on the under parts of the body is white. 



This animal has been called the Cacomistle by the 

 Mexicans, and the Bush Cat, Raccoon Fox and Ring Tail 

 by skin dealers in different parts of the world, but the 

 scientists have now agreed upon the name Bassarisk for 

 the various species of the Basaris-astuta. 



Plucked and dyed the fur of the Bassarisk resembles 

 that of the Marten, and has become very popular as a 

 substitute for it under various names, the French furriers 

 calling it Bassarius, and others listing it as the Ringtail 

 and Bush Cat. 



The Panda (Aelurus-fulgens), or Red Cat-bear, which 

 seems to be the connecting link between the Raccoons 

 and Bears, approximates to the Raccoon by its canines 

 and what is known of its other teeth, with the exception 

 that it has only one false molar, making the total number of 

 its teeth thirty-eight. This animal is rather larger than a 

 cat, has a sharp muzzle and small round ears, the inner sur- 

 face of which are white; a moderately long tail covered 

 with long hair ; and plantigrade feet, with semi-retractile 

 claws in the five white toes. The face is white, with the 

 exception of a vertical stripe of red from just above the 

 eye to the angle of the mouth and a red stripe running 

 down the center of the nose ; there are several pale rings 

 on the tail, the tip of which is black. Its "back fur is of a 

 remarkable rich, reddish brown color, darker below than 

 on the upper parts. Its thick, fine, woolly under 

 fur is concealed by long, soft, glistening and richly 

 colored hairs, making it, according to some authorities, 



