118 | MAMMALIA—BADGER. 
white spots } its hair is longer and coarser, its legs are shorter, and its feet 
longer; but, like the raccoon, its tail is diversified with rings, alternately 
black and fulvous; and to all its feet there are five claws. 
This animal has a practice of eating its own tail, which, when not muti- 
Jated, is longer than its body, and which it generally rears aloft, and can 
move with ease in any direction.* . 
As for the coati in other respects, it is an animal of prey, which subsists 
on &esh and blood, which, like the fox, destroys small animals and poultry, 
lux ts for the nests of little birds, and devours their eggs; and it is probable 
fre-a this conformity of disposition, that some authors have considered the 
coisi as a species of small fox. It inhabits the woods of South America. 
hh »vursuit of its prey, it climbs trees with much agility. When tamed, 
w -ch it easily is, it is fond of being caressed, but does not become much 
g .ched to its owner. 
THE EUROPEAN BADGER} 
Gah 
eS WW Ww 
is a lazy, distrustful, solitary animal, that retires far from. the approach of 
* Godman says, “It has been considered very wonderful that this animal should eat its 
ewn tail, which certainly appears to be the fact. The extreme length of its tail, in which 
the bleod circulates but feebly, exposes it to the influence of the cold or frost; and the 
exceedingly tormenting irritation produced thereby, leads the animal to gnaw and scratch 
the tail to relieve the excessive itching. The disease spreads, and the anguish induces 
the coatimundi to gnaw more furiously, and eventually his life is destroyed by the exten- 
sion of the inflammation and irritation to the spine, &c.” 
1 Taxus vulgaris. The genus Taxus has six upper and six lower incisors ; two upper 
and two lower canines ; ten upper and twelve lower molars. The first molar very sma.l, 
