70 THE COATIMONDI. 



about in every direction, to feel whatever objects are presented 

 to its notice. The snout, also, assists the fore paws in the 

 operation of digging for worms. The feet are semi-palmate j 

 and their sharp black claws enable it to climb with agility and 

 to dig rapidly. In descending a tree, it comes down head- 

 foremost, hooking by its hinder claws, which have the extra- 

 ordinary faculty of reversing to a great extent. When on its 

 legs, it usually carries the tail erect, but when lying down, it 

 places it between the legs. 



Coatimondis are nocturnal animals, seeking food at night- 

 time. They feed on birds, reptiles, insects, worms, and fruits. 

 Small troops of them sometimes visit the sugar plantations, 

 where they commit great devastation. Goldsmith, probably 

 alluding to imprisoned specimens, says they are " very apt to 

 eat their own tails j but this strange appetite is not peculiar to 

 them, the macaco (Lemur Macaco) and some of the monkey 

 tribe do the same, and seem to feel no pain in wounding a part 

 of the body so remote from the centre of circulation." 



They sit up on the hind legs when feeding, and use both paws 

 to carry the food to the mouth. When pleased, they utter a 

 gentle hissing, but if angry or hurt, they send forth a very shrill 

 and piercing cry. Preparatory to sleeping, they roll themselves 

 up into the shape of a ball, and often remain in that position 

 for fourteen or fifteen consecutive hours. 



In confinement, the coatimondi becomes tame, playful, and 

 fond of caresses 3 but evinces no symptoms of strong attachment, 

 and is furious on any sudden alarm. One in the Zoological 

 Society's Gardens attacked the keeper, and hurt him so severely 

 in the leg, that the wound was not cured for several weeks. If 

 restored to liberty, it soon kills the poultry and every other 

 living creature weaker than itself. 



Three supposed species of coatimondi have been described, 

 but most zoologists acknowledge only two, the brown (N. fused) 

 and the red (N. rufd); and, indeed, we have not yet sufficient 

 evidence of these being more than strongly marked varieties of 

 one species. The former is distinguished from the latter, chiefly 



