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Show 348 DR. ST. G. MIVART ON THE ARCTOIDEA. [.Apr. 21, if possible, into their master's house, and there examine everything especially in a pantry, where everything will be tasted by them ; they are very fond of sweetmeats and preserves ; they will remove covers from dishes and corks from bottles, and soon learn to unlatch doors, using their hands much as Monkeys do theirs. They hibernate early, becoming active again in February or March, in the Adirondack region, where they generally breed early in April, having from four to six young at a birlh, which remain with the mother about a year. They commonly live and travel about in small companies ; they do not return to the same nest every morning, often going in various directions for several days. They live well in confinement, and sometimes breed. Doubt has been thrown on the often asserted habit of the Raccoon of soaking his food in water. I have been careful, however, to ascertain from Mr. Bartlett that the animal really does so. Procyon differs from all iEluroids in the length and mobility of the digits of the manus. Unlike all but Cynogale, Rhinogale, Cros-sarchus, and Suricata, there is no median groove to the nose and the upper lip is not medianly cleft. The soles are naked, from the wrist and the heels forwards. The claws are considerably curved and moderately sharp, but they are non-retractile. The muffle is naked and large, and projects a little forwards above the nostrils, which are each crescentic, with the convexity downwards, and extend to the hinder border of the naked muffle. The whiskers on each side have 5 or 6 bristles grouped together, and there are four sets of such groups. There is also a tuft over the eye, one behind the angle of the jaw, and one under the middle of the chin. The ears are moderately large, subovate, and rounded above, and are covered with hair except around the meatus. The length from the nose to the root of the tail is about 22 inches, that of the tail (not counting the length of the hairs beyond the fleshy tip) is about 9 inches, and the length of each limb somewhat about 8 inches. There are 14 dorsal, fj lumbar, 3 sacral, and from 16 to 20 caudal vertebrae. Taking the length of the spine • at 100, the proportional length of the neck is 16*9, of the dorsal vertebrae 41*9, of the lumbar region 28*7, of the sacrum 12*3, and of the tail 78*9 ; that of the whole fore limb is 74*5, of the humerus 27*4, of the radius 28*7, of the metacarpus 7'6, of the third phalanx of the third digit manus 2*7 ; of the whole pelvic limb 91*7, of the femur 32*3, of the tibia 33*9, of the metatarsus 10*6, and of the third phalanx of the third digit 2*7. The relative length of the skull2 is 28*2, of the palate 24*1, its breadth G*5, the breadth of the zygomata 20*2, of the brain-case 12*8, and of the interorbital part behind the postorbital processes 6*8. The relative length of the lower dental series from the front of the canine to behind the last lower molar is 13*9. Taking the length of the skull from the basion to the front of the premaxilla at 100, 1 From the front of the atlas to the hinder end of the sacrum. 2 From the basion to the front of the premaxilla. |