CHAPTER XI.

THE RACOON FAMILY--THE PANDA FAMILY--THE WEASEL FAMILY--FOSSIL CARNIVORA.

THE RACOON FAMILY--Characters of their Skull, Teeth, &c.--Geographical Distribution--THE RACOON--Its Habit of Washing its Food--Its External Characters and Habits--Racoon Hunting--The Crab-eating Racoon--THE COATI--THE KINKAJOU--Its Lemur-like Appearance, Prehensile Tail, &c.--THE CACOMIXLE--THE PANDA FAMILY--THE PANDA--Its Character and Habits--The Ailuropus--THE WEASEL FAMILY--Anatomical Characters--Tail-glands--Division of the Family into Three Sub-families--Importance of the Mustelidæ as Fur-producing Animals--THE GLUTTON--Its Characters--Superstitions Regarding it--Its Cunning--THE MARTEN--THE PEKAN--THE SABLE--THE WEASEL--THE STOAT, OR ERMINE--The Difference between its Winter and Summer Dress, and the manner in which the Change takes place--THE POLECAT--THE FERRET--THE MINK--THE GRISON--THE TAYRA--THE RATEL--THE COMMON BADGER--Its Habits--Burrowing--THE AMERICAN BADGER--THE TELEDU--THE CAPE ZORILLA--THE COMMON SKUNK--Its Noxious Secretion--Hydrophobia produced by Skunk Bite--The Little Striped Skunk--The White-backed Skunk--THE COMMON OTTER--The Adaptation of its Structure to Aquatic Life--Use of Tame Otters for Fishing--The Canadian Otter--The Margined-tailed Otter--THE SEA OTTER--Its Affinities with the Seals--How it is Hunted--GENERAL RELATIONS OF THE LAND CARNIVORA--FOSSIL CARNIVORA--The Tendency of these to bridge over Existing Groups--Appendix to Chapter VI. (Civet Family)--THE CYNOGALE--THE CYNICTIS--THE MANGUE--THE SURICATE 177

THE AQUATIC OR MARINE CARNIVORA.