Raccoon 
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into ten subspecies, only one of which has been met with 
in Colorado. 
They are heavily built, nocturnal, omnivorous animals; in 
cold climates they hibernate, but in warmer regions are out all 
winter. They live both among trees and rocks, but where 
possible their favorite retreats and dens are hollow trees. 
Procyon lotor (Lat., to wash). Raccoon 
Ursus lotor Linnaeus, Syst. Nat., loth ed., i., p. 48 (1758). 
Type locality. — Eastern United States. 
Measurements. — Total length, 30.5 ; tail vert., 10.25 ; hind foot, 4-i- 
Description. — (From a specimen taken at Littleton, Colorado, 
in the Colorado Museum of Natural History, Denver) : Dark 
grizzled above, hairs white-tipped, black and brownish at base. 
Tail ringed w^ith black, brown, and grayish, the rings, however, 
do not meet on under side; 5 dark rings and black tip; a blackish 
stripe running back from ears; a whitish gray stripe extending from 
above eye toward front of ear, and less distinctly, but broader, 
around under above-mentioned black stripes; a broad black stripe 
below this light one, which takes in eye and extends about as far 
as ear; a narrow dark stripe on median line of nose ; sides of muzzle 
whitish gray, and a light stripe lies under the black one ; under parts, 
and feet and legs grayish, rather light. 
Distribution. — The Raccoon, with its subspecies, is distributed 
over most of the United States, excepting the Rocky Mountain 
States north of Colorado. In Colorado it is very irregularly 
distributed, and we have but little data concerning it. It has, with 
the exception of certain localities in Grand County, been reported 
from the east of the Continental Divide only. It is said to be rather 
common north of the Arkansas-Platte Divide, but south of it it is 
very rare. It is recorded from Boulder, Larimer, Weld, Arapahoe, 
and Yuma counties, and also from central southern Las Animas 
County, near Water vale. 
Habits. — Raccoons are nocturnal in their habits, seldom 
seen abroad in the daytime, and as for their food, they are as 
omnivorous as bears, and eat both vegetable and animal 
substances. Birds and various small animals fall victims, 
and when opportunity offers they raid hen-roosts. They are 
notoriously fond of corn when it is in the milk, and visit the 
fields regularly to obtain it. They are known, in California at 
