RACCOON. 
15 
Raccoon Bear, Pennant’s Arct. ZooL, vol. i., p. 69. 
Procyon Lotor, Cuv., Regne Animal, vol. i., p. 143. 
“ “ Sabine, Journal, p. 649. 
“ “ Harlan, p. 53. 
“ “ Godman, vol. i., p. 53. 
“ “ Dekay, New-York Fauna, p. 26. 
Procyon Nivea, Gray, Magazine of Nat. Hist., vol. i., 1837, p. 580. 
DESCRIPTION. 
The body is rather stout, the legs of moderate length, and the appear- 
ance of the animal would indicate that although he is not intended for 
great speed, he is still by his compact and well organized structure, his 
strong and muscular limbs and short and stout claws, capable of a tolera- 
bly rapid race, and is able to climb, although not with the agility of the 
squirrel, still with greater alacrity than his near relative the bear. 
Head, rather round ; nose, tapering, sharp, and the snout moveable ; 
point of the nose, naked ; eyes, round, and of moderate size ; moustaches, 
few, very rigid, resembling bristles, extending to the chin ; ears, low, erect, 
elliptical, with their tips much rounded, clothed with hair on both sides ; 
on the inner surface the hairs are longer and less dense ; tail, of moderate 
length and bushy. In its feet the Raccoon is partially plantigrade, hence 
it was classed by Linn^sus among the bears, under the genus Ursus ; soles 
of feet, naked. When it sits, it often brings the whole hind sole to the 
ground, resting in the manner of the bear. The canine teeth are large 
and extend beyond the lips. The nails are strong, hooked and sharp, not 
covered with hair. The body is densely clothed with two kinds of hair ; 
the outer and longer, long and coarse ; the inner, softer and more like 
wool. 
COLOUR. 
Point of nose, and soles of feet, black ; nails, dark brown ; moustaches, 
nearly all white ; ears, lips, above the snout and chin, dingy white ; above 
the eyes, and around the forehead, light gray. A dark brown patch ex- 
tends from each side of the neck and passes the eyes, over the nose, 
nearly reaching the snout, and gradually fading on the forehead into the 
colours of the back ; eyes, black ; the longer hairs on the back are dark 
brown at the roots, then yellowish- white for half their length, and are 
broadly tipped with black ; the softer fur beneath, pale brown throughout 
the whole body ; on the sides and belly, the longer hairs are dingy white 
from the roots ; the tail has about six distinct black rings, and is tipped 
with black ; these rings alternate with five light yellowish-brown an- 
nulations. 
