262 CLASS MAMMALIA. 



in woods near the habitations of tbe people, and cause 

 much mischief in the sugar-cane plantations. Buffon has 

 represented two varieties, under the names of the Brown 

 and Blackish Coati, which Schreber copied and disfigured 

 by the colours which he employed to illuminate them. Lin- 

 naeus published a tolerably good figure of the Coati, in the 

 Acts of the Royal Academy of Sweden, in 1768. Pennant's 

 figure of the Brown Coati is not good, nor is that of Margrave 

 much better. We give the figure of one of the individuals 

 before described. 



It appears to us, far from improbable, that the Coati (at 

 least, as far as our discoveries have hitherto extended,) forms 

 but one species. In all essential points, as we have seen, the 

 red and brown exactly agree ; and, certainly, the mere dif- 

 ference of colour does seem a very insufficient ground of spe- 

 cific distinction. Even when that difference of colour is 

 invariable, it seems to us, that it argues no more than the 

 existence of a distinct race, and not that of a distinct species. 

 If colour be once admitted as a criterion of species, there 

 is no knowing where to stop, and specific distinctions must 

 be multiplied ad infinitum. The white Horse will be a dif- 

 ferent species from the black, and the brown from the bay. 

 From the preceding accounts, it appears that the Red Coati 

 was more savage than the others ; but this, most probably, 

 was the result of his education, or rather of his want of 

 education. The disposition was accompanied with no cor- 

 responding traits of conformation, and cannot be admitted 

 as a specific character. 



The next animal to be noticed in the Baron's sub-division 

 of the plantigrades is the Kinkajou or Poto. It is a na- 

 tive of South America, has been often seen in Europe, and 

 described and figured by skilful naturalists, and, certainly, 

 is one of the most singular animals in the long list of the 

 mammalia. Its correct classification is a matter of no 



