224 CALIFORNIA MAMMALS. 



Family Procyonidse. (Raccoons, etc.) 

 Plantigrade or digitigracle ; five toes on all the feet; tail long, 

 bushy, usually annulated with rings of different colors; rostrum 

 moderately long; molars tuberculate; teeth 36 to 40. 



This is a small family of five or six genera and about a dozen 

 species. One genus iMlurus) of southern Asia is placed in a 

 subfamily by itself and may not belong to this family ; all the other 

 genera are limited to temperate and tropical America. 



They are principally nocturnal, arboreal and terrestrial. 

 They are but partly carnivorous, eating small birds, small mam- 

 mals, fish, eggs, insects, fruits and seeds. 



Genus Bassariscus Coues. ( Little Fox. ) 



Digitig'rade ; size rather small; body rather slender; ears 

 large, tail about as long as head and body, annulated, skull in 

 many respects like that of Viilpes in shape of teeth, shortness of 

 palate, flatness above (not strongly arched as in Procyon), 

 audital bullse and surroundings part more Like Procyon. 



Dental formula, I, 3 — 3 ; C, i — i ; P, 4 — 4 ; M, 2 — 2 ; X2^40. 



Bassariscus astutus raptor Baird. (Sagacious ; a robber) 



CALIFORNIA RING-TAILED CAT. 



Wood brown darkened above by black tips to the long hairs ; 

 below bufify wihite; basal half of the fur slate gray; grayish whita 

 area around and behind the eye and another below the ears brown- 

 ish white darker on the external base ; tail black above with about 

 seven narrow white rings, these white rings widening below and 

 taking the form of large connected triangles; soles of hind feet 

 thickly haired half way from the heels towards the claws. 



Length of male about 760 mm. (30 inches) ; tail vertebrae 

 375 (14-75); hind foot 67 (2.65); ear from crown 38 (1.50). 

 Weight two and one half pounds. Female smaller. 



California Ring- tailed Cats are not very common anywhere. 

 In southern California they are rare. I have heard of only two 



