BASSARIS ASTUTA. 
317 
eating or gnawing off the bark around the mouth of their holes, and 
where the bark does not appear freshly peeled off at their hole, jmu may 
be certain the animal is not at home, or has deserted the place. 
Their holes are generally the result of natural decay, and are situated on 
knobs, or at the ends of branches broken short off close to the main trunk. 
They generally select a hole of this kind on the lower side of a leaning 
tree, probably for better protection from the rain ; their holes vary in depth, 
but are seldom more than about a foot or eighteen inches to the bottom ; 
they are usually furnished with moss or grass, for bedding. Sometimes 
pecan shells are found in these holes, which no doubt affords presumptive 
evidence that the Bassaris feeds upon this nut. 
When scolding or barking at an intruder, the ring-tailed Raccoon, (as 
this animal is called by the Texans), holds the tail over its back, bending 
it squirrel fashion ; this animal, however, does not stand upon his hind 
feet like a squirrel, and cannot jump or leap so far. We have not heard 
of their springing from one branch to another beyond the distance of about 
ten feet, and when frightened at the presence of a man, they will some- 
times run along a branch even toward him, in order to get within jumping 
distance of another, evincing more timidity than a squirrel exhibits in 
springing among the boughs, although they run up the bark with ease, 
holding on with their claws. 
Sometimes the Ring-tailed Bassaris may be seen squatted on the top of a 
branch, basking in the sun, and half rolled up, appearing almost asleep. 
On the slightest manifestation of danger, however, he darts into his hole, 
(which is always within a foot or two of his basking place), and he is seen 
no more. We have the impression that only one of these singular ani- 
mals is to be found on a tree at a time — they, therefore, are not very social 
in their habits, and, as the live-oak and other trees are generally very 
much scattered, and many of them have no holes suitable for residences 
Ibr the Bassaris, it is very difficult to procure one. At the foot of many 
of the trees whereon they dwell, the cactus, brush-wood, and chapperal 
generally are so thick and tangled, that a man would be pretty well 
scratched should he attempt to penetrate the thorny, prickly thicket which 
surrounds the dwelling-place of this solitary and singular animal. 
Notwithstanding the shyness and retired habits of this species, it is 
easily tamed, and when it has been confined in a cage a suilicient length 
ol' time, is frequently let loose in the houses of the Mexicans, where it 
answers the purpose of a playful pet, and catches mice and rats. We 
have seen one that was thus domesticated, running about the streets of a 
little Mexican village, and we were informed that one was kept as a great 
pet in a Camanche camp, visited by the Indian who hunted for us during 
