HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 277 



THE COATI, OR BRAZILIAN WEASEL. 



(Viverra Nasua, Linn. La Coati, BuiF.) 



HAS some resemblance to the Bear in the length 

 of its hind legs, in the form of its feet, in the bushi- 

 ness of its hair, and in the structure of its paws. It 

 is small. Its tail is long, and variegated with dif- 

 ferent colours; its upper jaw is much longer than 

 the lower, and very pliant; its ears are round; its 

 hair is smooth, soft, and glossy, of a bright bay 

 colour; and its breast is whitish. 



Linnaeus describes one of them which he kept a 

 considerable time, and in vain attempted to bring 

 into subjection. It was very obstinate and capri- 

 cious. It killed the poultry, tore off their heads, 

 and sucked their blood. It defended itself with 

 great force whenever any person attempted to lay 

 hold of it contrary to its inclination, and it stuck 

 fast to the legs of those with whom it was familiar; 

 when it wanted to ransack their pockets, and carry 

 off any thing that it found in them. It had an 

 extreme aversion to hog's bristles, and the smallest 



