178 FLESH-EATERS OF THE LAND 



stout, and generally about the size of a fox. The general 

 colour is blackish grey, and the bushy tail is ringed with 

 bands of black hair. Its food is extremely varied, ranging 

 from vegetable to animal, as occasion serves. It is rather 

 apt to invade hen-roosts, but otherwise does little harm. 

 The fur is valuable and makes very handsome carriage 

 rugs, and the flesh is peculiarly good to eat. 



A 'Coon hunt used to be one of the favourite amuse- 

 ments of the negroes when slavery was still practised in the 

 United States. When the animal lives near the coast it 

 adds oysters, mussels, and crabs to its diet. To catch the 

 last named the Raccoon hangs its tail just on the surface of 

 the water. As soon as the crab grips it in mistake for 

 food, the animal whisks it out of the water, and then, seizing 

 it from behind, greedily devours its prey. 



COAITI (Nasua rufa). 

 Coloured Plate X. Fig. 3. 



The Coaiti-mondi is a native of South America. The 

 generic name of nasua signifies 'nosy,' and a glance at 

 the illustration will show the great length and extraordinary 

 mobility of the snout, which by no means adds to the 

 animal's beauty. 



The covering of the Red Coaiti is short and reddish-brown 

 in colour, and the thick tail is ringed with black and 

 brownish-yellow. The animal is longer in the body 

 than the Raccoon ; but with its short limbs, and the inqui- 

 sitive manner in which it continually turns its snout in all 

 directions, it is not nearly so attractive. Like the Raccoon, 

 the Coaiti is a great tree-climber, and, indeed, is almost equal 

 to the monkey in that respect. It is nocturnal in its habits, 

 sleeping during the day, with its bushy tail curled over its 

 long nose. When hunted it fights desperately, and it 

 behoves one to avoid its double-edged canine teeth. 



Another species of Coaiti, called the Quasje (Nasua 

 nasica), is a Central American animal, differing in no 

 important respect from the foregoing, except that there is 

 no red tint in its coat. 



