392 Miscellaneous. 
ing to age. There are two species at present known, the Nasua rufa 
and the one under notice, which I consider the largest. This animal 
bears some affinity to the Racoon, but is distinguished by having 
an elongated, truncated, and moveable snout, with which it roots up 
the earth in search of worms and grubs. The jaws are armed with 
sharp teeth, and the under jaw is shorter than the upper. It preys 
upon small ‘quadrupeds and birds. It climbs trees in search of prey, 
and also frequently seeks its food upon the ground. 
The possession of this living specimen enabled me to observe its 
habits ; and’as it was permitted to roam about at liberty, its natural 
actions ‘could be better observed than when the animal is kept in 
confinement. It would come when cailed; like a dog, evincing much 
attachment, and always seemed gratified when patted or otherwise 
caressed, more especially when rubbed behind the ears, displaying 
during the operation as much delight as a cat under similar treatment, 
crouching down, placing the head with the nose close to the ground, 
uttering at the same time a subdued, sharp, whistling ery. If placed 
in confinement, it would run round the cage, rapidly biting at its 
tail during its circular movements; and on any person approaching the 
cage, would spit, growl, and utter loud, sharp, and discordant cries. 
The instant, however, it was set at liberty, it permitted itself to be 
fondled even by strangers. One of its habits was very peculiar: it 
would take glue or any adhesive substance, if in its way, and rub 
some over its tail, and soon after amuse itself by licking it off, or 
endeavouring to remove it by washing its tail'in water. It was very 
fond of sucking the blood of animals; and when these were placed 
before it dead, always selected the part in which the blood had been 
retained in the greatest quantity before any other portion of its prey. 
I have also frequently seen it eat the fruit of the Moreton Bay fig- 
tree, running about under the tree, and, after selecting the ripest that 
had fallen, opening them and sucking out the pulp. _ One morning 
I observed it commence a meal upon a rat which had just been killed 
and given to it. The first process on receiving the prey was, as usual, 
to suck all the blood from those parts in which it found any had been 
retained ; it then began rolling the rat upon the ground with its fore 
paws, but for what purpose this operation was performed I could 
not ascertain. After the prey had been treated in this manner for 
some time, it pulled out the intestines, and devoured some portion 
of them before eating any other of the fleshy part. On approaching 
the animal at this time, it would dart away with the prey, uttering 
shrill cries, and was exceedingly savage if any attempt was made to 
take it away. When running about in the garden, it would insert 
its long, flexible snout into the earth, root it up, and seemed to be 
eagerly devouring worms or any similar food it. found there. It evi- 
dently possessed an acute sense of smell; for after smelling about for 
some time it would insert the snout to some depth into the earth 
in the selected place, and secure the worm or grub which it had 
been seeking.—Proc. Zool. Soc. June 26, 1860. 
