22 



"nosey." This creature is frequently seen in menageries. 

 It is lively and comical in its habits. 



The KINKAJOU (Cercoloptcs caudivohulns) is quite unique 

 in appearance, as well as in numbers. It is the only one 

 of the genus, and is American, inhabiting South America, 

 and extending as far north as Mexico. Its tail is prehen- 

 sile, nearly as much so as in the monkeys. It is entirely 

 nocturnal. 



The Bassaris {Bassaris as tut a). This animal was for 

 a long time regarded as allied to the civet cats of the Old 

 World. As there are none of the latter family in America, 

 the bassaris was considered curiously unique. It has, how- 

 ever, been ascertained that it is closely in affinity with the 

 preceding forms, and it is now here located. It bears a 

 striking resemblance to the racoon. 



Family A iluridtz. This is represented by only tun 

 genera, with two species, PANDA being only the common 

 name. They inhabit the Himalayas and Thibet, their 

 nearest relations being the bears and coatimundis. 



GROUP 14. — The Bears, Family Ursida. Bears are 

 clearly defined as a group, and are pretty well distributed, 

 though some regions form exceptions. One species only 

 inhabits South America, and they are absent in Australia 

 and central and southern Africa ; one is found in Europe ; 

 the larger number inhabit temperate North America. A 

 peculiar group of bears is found in Asia and the islands of 

 the Indian Ocean ; these are called Sun Bears from their 

 fondness for basking in the sunlight. They are small, and 

 have a horseshoe shaped mark upon their breasts. The 

 extraordinary habit of hibernation is illustrated especially 

 in the AMERICAN BLACK BEAR (Crs//s aiinricniiits). If 

 there is no appropriate shelter of dead tree or the like at 

 hand, the bear, if fat, lies down and pulls the dead leaves 

 and brush around him, and soon falls asleep, the snow 

 covering him ; and in this natural den he sleeps away the 

 winter months, sustained by the' immense layers of fat on 

 his body. The black bear is yet quite common in the 



