140 WILD BEASTS OF THE WORLD 



THE CACOMISTLE 



(Bassaris astiUa) 



THIS pretty little animal, about the size of a small Cat, is remarkable 

 for its long thickly-furred tail, ringed with black and white. Its coat 

 is grey, and its face rather fox-like ; the claws are somewhat retractile. 

 It is found in Mexico and Central America, and is an omnivorous 

 nocturnal tree-climber. It is often tamed, and makes a charming pet, 

 but only one has ever found its way to our Zoo. There is another 

 species (Bassaris sumichrasti], which much resembles the common one. 



THE PANDA 



(/Elurus fulgens) 



THE Panda is the only member of the 'Coon and Coati family which 

 is found out of America, being a native of the Himalayas. It is a 

 thick-set animal about as big as a small Fox, with a short face like 

 a Cat; the eyes, however, are small, not large and full like a Cat's 

 eyes. The tail is long and bushy, and all the fur very full, even on 

 the feet. The colour of the coat is very beautiful, a rich maroon-red, 

 shading into black below, and with white on the face ; the tail is ringed 

 with light and dark red. 



The Panda is, like all this family, a climber, but it appears to be 

 particularly vegetarian, feeding mostly on fruit and leaves, especially 

 bamboo-shoots. In accordance with this habit, its teeth are more 

 adapted for grinding vegetable food than those of other carnivores, and 

 its canines are small ; it is also very slow and harmless for a beast of 

 the carnivorous order. 



Being uncommon, and very intolerant of heat, so that it can only 

 be brought down to the Indian sea-coast during the winter season, it 

 is seldom seen in captivity even in India; but I once saw a beautiful 

 specimen in Calcutta, and one or two have reached the London Zoo- 

 logical Gardens. 



