Mass to Girth 9 3 



Captured raccoons were anesthetized with a 1 : 1 mixture of ketamine 

 hydrochloride (Ketaset; Bristol Laboratories, Syracuse, New York) and acepro- 

 mazine maleate (PromAce; Ayerst Laboratories, New York, New York), based on 

 estimated body mass, then tagged in both ears with No. 3 Monel ear tags (Nation- 

 al Band and Tag Co., Newport, Kentucky). Data collected from captured rac- 

 coons included mass, girth, and age. Raccoons were weighed at the site of cap- 

 ture to the nearest 0. 1 kg with a spring loaded scale. Girth measurements were 

 taken at the posterior end of the sternum immediately anterior to the xiphoid 

 process with a flexible tape pulled taught against the raccoon. Age was deter- 

 mined by tooth wear (Grau et al. 1970). Age classes were: 0-14 months (Age 

 I), 14-38 months (Age II), 38-56 months (Age III), 56-84 months (Age IV), and 

 >84 months (Age V). 



Only adult raccoons, age II and older, were included in the analysis to 

 avoid confounding relationships due to different patterns in growth for younger 

 animals (Johnson 1970). To maintain independence of observations, only the 

 first capture of an individual was used in data analysis, except for analysis of 

 individual variation. Date of capture was categorized into two seasons, summer 

 (April through September) and winter (October through March). Data were ana- 

 lyzed by year, season, age, and sex. 



All data were analyzed using Statistical Analysis Systems (SAS Insti- 

 tute 1989). Comparison of the mass to girth ratio was analyzed with General 

 Linear Models (PROC GLM) using Tukey's multiple comparison procedure to 

 test among classes. The relationship between mass and girth was analyzed using 

 linear regression (PROC REG). Because of the possibility that the allometric 

 relationship may differ among age classes, years, or between sexes and seasons, 

 parallelism and coincidence of the regression equation of the allometric relation- 

 ship between mass and girth were tested within each grouping. Parallelism tests 

 for the equality of the slope of the equation for more than one population. Coin- 

 cidence tests for the equality of the intercept of the y-axis of the equation. 

 Dummy variables were created to test for parallelism and coincidence for the 

 three years of the study, each season, the four adult ages, and sex. 



To investigate the stability of the allometric relationship, the linearity of 

 the mass to girth ratio was examined with PROC REG for individuals with >5 

 captures. This analysis was used to determine if the allometric relationship 

 exhibited temporal variation among individuals. 



RESULTS 



One hundred and five raccoons (61 males, 42 females) were measured. 

 There was no difference among years (F = 0. 17; P = 0.8473), or between seasons 

 (F = 1.13; P = 0.2916). Differences in the mass to girth ratio were found among 

 age classes (F = 12.31; P < 0.0001) and between sexes (F = 25.03; P < 0.0001). 

 Age class II raccoons exhibited a smaller ratio than did the three older age class- 



