348 DR. ST. G. MIVART ON THE ARCTOIDEA. [Apr. 21, 



if possible, into their master's house, and there examine everything 

 especially in a pantry, where everything will be tasted by them ; they 

 are very fond of sweetmeats and preserves ; they will remove covers 

 from dishes and corks from bottles, and soon learn to unlatch doors, 

 using their hands much as Monkeys do theirs. 



They hibernate early, becoming active again in February or 

 March, in the Adirondack region, where they generally breed early 

 in April, having from four to six young at a birth, which remain 

 with the mother about a year. They commonly live and travel 

 about in small companies ; they do not return to the same nest 

 every morning, often going in various directions for several days. 

 They live well in confinement, and sometimes breed. 



Doubt has been thrown on the often asserted habit of the Raccoon 

 of soaking his food in water. I have been careful, however, to 

 ascertain from Mr. Bartlett that the animal really does so. 



Procyon differs from all ^luroids in the length and mobility of 

 the digits of the manus. Unlike all but Cynogale, Rhinogale, Cros- 

 sarehus, and Suricata, there is no median groove to the nose and 

 the upper lip is not medianly cleft. The soles are naked, from the 

 wrist and the heels forwards. The claws are considerably curved 

 and moderately sharp, but they are non-retractile. 



The muffle is naked and large, and projects a little forwards 

 above the nostrils, which are each crescentic, with the convexity 

 downwards, and extend to the hinder border of the naked muffle. 

 The whiskers on each side have 5 or 6 bristles grouped together, and 

 there are four sets of such groups. There is also a tuft over the eye, 

 one behind the angle of the jaw, and one under the middle of the 

 chin. 



The ears are moderately large, subovate, and rounded above, and 

 are covered with hair except around the meatus. 



The length from the nose to the root of the tail is about 22 inches, 

 that of the tail (not counting the length of the hairs beyond the fleshy- 

 tip) is about 9 inches, and the length of each limb somewhat about 

 8 inches. There are 14 dorsal, 6 lumbar, 3 sacral, and from ] 6 to 20 

 caudal vertebrae. Taking the length of the spine ' at 100, the pro- 

 portional length of the neck is 16'9, of the dorsal vertebrae 41*9, 

 of the lumbar region 28-7, of the sacrum 12-3, and of the tail 

 78'9 ; that of the whole fore limb is 74'5, of the humerus 27"4, of the 

 radius 28*7, of the metacarpus 7&, of the third phalanx of the third 

 digit manus 2*7 ; of the whole pelvic limb 91 "7, of the femur 32-3, 

 of the tibia 33"9, of the metatarsus 10*6, and of the third phalanx 

 of the third digit 2-7. 



The relative length of the skulP is 28-2, of the palate 24-1, its 

 breadth 6'5, the breadth of the zygomata 20"2, of the brain-case 12"8, 

 and of the interorbital part behind the postorbital processes 6"8. 

 The relative length of the lower dental series from tlie front of the 

 canine to behind the last lower molar is 13'9. Taking the length 

 of the skull from the basion to the front of the premaxilla at 100, 



1 From the front of the atlas to the hinder end of the sacrum. 

 * From the basion to the front of the premaxilla. 



