ORDER CARNASSIER. 249 



introduction, do not place the entire sole on the ground in 

 walking. The gait is heavy and awkward. They can easily 

 stand up on their hind-feet, and have the power of grasping 

 with the fore ; but this last operation is performed, not 

 by contracting a single paw, but by putting both together. 

 There is not sufficient pliability in the internal part of the 

 fingers, to enable them to grasp like the quadrumana. In 

 this mode, they often carry their provisions to their mouth, 

 after having plunged them in water, and rolled them between 

 their paws; an operation, the object or utility of which, to 

 the animal, it is not very easy to conjecture. They do not see 

 objects very distinctly in a strong light. During the day, 

 they remain bent into a ball, seated on their posteriors, with 

 the head placed between the thighs. It is in the night, though 

 the eye-pupils are round, that they evince most activity, and 

 seek their food, which consists, for the most part, of worms, 

 insects, fruits, and roots. They proceed ferretting in all di- 

 rections, and the most retired corners, and the smallest 

 holes seem, in particular, to excite the activity of their re- 

 searches. They climb trees with the great facility, where, 

 J n all probability, they go for the purpose of surprising the 

 birds, and plundering their nests. They drink by suction, 

 and water appears to be a very absolute necessity of life 

 with them. It is said, that they frequent the banks of 

 rivers, and the sea-shore, to catch mollusca, and fish, to 

 which they are extremely partial. Their sense of smelling 

 is peculiarly delicate, but not so their organs of hearing. 

 They are commonly very fat, which, united to the propor- 

 tions of the various parts of their body, and to the thick fur 

 with which they are clothed, gives them a rotundity of form, 

 very unlike what characterizes the carnassiers of higher 

 rank, but very similar to that of the Bears. Their tail, ex- 

 ceedingly tufted, does not appear to be of any particular 

 use to them. They are animals easily tamed; that is to 



