116 CURIOUS HOMES AND THEIR TENANTS. 



makes a coil of Ms tail and goes to sleep upon it ; it 

 is his bed ; it is also an extra limb, for lie can coil it 

 about the branch of a tree, or any support small 

 enough in circumference to allow it to go once or 

 twice around and hang suspended in mid-air. Like the 

 tail of an opossum, that of the kinkajou is prehen- 

 sile. The little fellow takes great pride in his long, 

 furry tail, and spends much of his time dressing and 

 combing it with his fingers. He uses his hands much 

 as does a raccoon or monkey, and, sitting upon his tail, 

 holds a bit of bread in one paw while he breaks off 

 bits with the other, and also, like a monkey, uses 

 both his fore and hind paws to carry food to his 

 mouth. He is very fond of bananas, apples, and the 

 like. 



One that I have often seen, owned by a lady in 

 ISTew York, would not touch animal food, though 

 in their native state we are told the kinkajou lives 

 upon birds, insects, and lizards, as well as fruit. He 

 makes a charming pet, gentle, quaint, clean in his 

 habits, and is an intelligent as well as an affectionate 

 anunal. 



