206 WILD NEIGHBORS CHAP. 
hairs. The under parts are of a similar gray, 
without the black tips, and, like the rest of the 
body, allow the dull sooty brown under-fur to show 
through. The upper surfaces of the feet are 
whitish, the hind feet being about 4 inches in 
length, and the fore feet 2# inches. The brush of 
the tail is nearly uniform in diameter (24 to 3 
inches) throughout, only the end being rounded 
off. It has five distinct black rings, separated by 
grayish rusty intervals of about the same width, 
and the tip is black. The face shows a large 
oblique black patch on each cheek, continuous 
with paler ones beneath the jaws, and others be- 
hind the ears, which are whitish; this gives a 
spectacled appearance to the front face. The 
muzzle is naked and flexible. Specimens have 
been seen nearly black all over, and albinos are 
not infrequent. 
The pelt of the raccoon is a valuable object 
when taken in cold weather, when the animal is 
in good condition. The fur is thick and warm, 
and the skin very durable. Hence it is in large 
demand in Canada and northern Europe for mak- 
ing coats, such as are worn by drivers and others 
that can afford something a little better than the 
sheepskin of the Russian peasant. North America 
furnishes half a million skins a year, nearly all 
of which are trapped in the region of the Great 
Lakes. The hair has been famous for felting 
purposes ever since the little beast became known 
