2i6 TYPES OF ANIMAL LIFE 



racoons, indiscriminate feeders, eating fruit and insects 

 as well as birds and eggs. 



South and Central America produce another kindred 

 animal, though very distinct in aspect and organisation. 

 This is the kinkajou (Fig. 60), a strictly forest creature, 

 found in the warmer parts of South and Central America. 

 It has a long body, but short limbs, which are well fitted 

 for clinging to the trunks and branches of trees by the 

 very strong and sharp claws with which all the toes are 

 provided. But it is still better fitted for arboreal life 

 by means of its tail, which is very long, and also strongly 

 prehensile, like the tails of so many American monkeys. 

 The kinkajou is of about the size of a rather small cat, 

 and is clothed with short, dense fur of a uniform pale 

 yellowish-brown colour. It has a broad, round head, 

 with very short ears and an extremely long and very 

 extensile tongue, which is, no doubt, of much use to it 

 in eating honey, of which it is very fond, although it 

 will also devour eggs and small birds and beasts. It is 

 a nocturnal animal of rather a gentle disposition, and it 

 is easily tamed. In captivity it will live on oranges and 

 bananas, which it eats greedil}' . It is not uncommonly 

 found in holes of trees, where it lies concealed by day, 

 issuing forth at night in pursuit of prey. Its woolly fur 

 is much valued, and the skins are brought to market. 

 Dampier, in his " Voyages," says : " The flesh is good, 

 sweet, and wholesome meat. We skin and roast it, and 

 then we call it pig, and I think it eats as well." There 

 is yet another exclusively American animal — another 

 sort of cacomistle, or cat-squirrel, about which a few 

 words must here be said. There are two kinds, one 

 named after Mr. Gabb and the other after Mr. Allen, 

 and coming from Costa Rica and Ecuador respectively. 

 Of one kind, only the skull is known, but the other has 



