RACOON. 
tail annulate d , a black stripe across 
the eyes m 
The Racoon is an animal of about the same size as a 
small badger ; its body is short and bulky ; its fur is 
fine, long, thick, blackish at the surface, and grey towards 
the bottom. Its head is like that of the fox, but its ears 
are round and shorter ; its eyes are large, of a yellowish 
green, and over them there is a black and transverse 
stripe. Its snout is sharp 5 its tail is thick, but tape ing 
towards a point, and marked alternately long as the body. 
Its fore-legs are much shorter than the hind ones, and both 
are armed with five strong sharp claws. 
This animal uses its paws to hold its food while eating ; 
and its pointed claws enable it to climb trees with great 
dexterity. It runs up the trunk with the same swiftness 
that it moves over the plain, and frolics about to the 
extremity of the branches with great security and ease 5 
on the ground, indeed, it rather bounds than runs, 
and its motions, though oblique, are yet always quick and 
expeditious. 
The Racoon is a native of the southern countries of 
America and the West Indies, nor has it ever yet been 
found in any part of the Old Continent. 
Ursus Lotor. 
