. Animals in menageries. ts food into water before it eats,whence its specific name. It is an animal with a fox-like countenance, but with much of the gait of a bear ;and, being partially plantigrade, it was classed by Lin-neeus in the genus Ursus. It climbs trees with fur is used in the manufacture of hats; and aboutone hundred skins are annually imported from the RedRiver, in lat. 50°, by the Hudsons Bay company. In captivity, the racoon, like all other nocturnal ani-mals, is heavy and stupid during the day, when it rollsitself up, placing the head between the thighs. It iseasil
. Animals in menageries. ts food into water before it eats,whence its specific name. It is an animal with a fox-like countenance, but with much of the gait of a bear ;and, being partially plantigrade, it was classed by Lin-neeus in the genus Ursus. It climbs trees with fur is used in the manufacture of hats; and aboutone hundred skins are annually imported from the RedRiver, in lat. 50°, by the Hudsons Bay company. In captivity, the racoon, like all other nocturnal ani-mals, is heavy and stupid during the day, when it rollsitself up, placing the head between the thighs. It iseasily tamed, and soon becomes familiar, but does notappear capable of much attachment or docility. Theracoon seems to be a well known inhabitant of thegreatest part of North America. The total length is about two feet and a half. Thehair of the body is grizzled. The tail, which is about teninches long, is bushy like the brush of a fox : the feetare short, and all the toes armed with long, strong claws,fit for burrowing. F 4. 72 ANIMALS IN MENAGERIES. The American Badger. Meles Labradoria, Richardson. N^orth. Zool. i. 37. UrsusLabradoricus, Linn. Carcajou, Bttffon. American Badger,Sabine. Brairo et Siffleur, French Canadians. (Fig. 10.) The American badger differs totally from that ofEurope^ which has a darker,coarser, and much shorterfur, and is marked withwell-defined lines of whiteon the head: it is also amore carnivorous range to the north ex-tends to the banks of thePeace River, in lat. 58°, and it abounds on the plainswatered by the Missouri. In a state of nature, it is a slowand timid animal, taking to the first earth it reaches whenpursued; but, as it burrows with great facility, it soonplaces itself out of danger. The strength of its fore feetand claws is so great, that one which had insinuatedonly its head and shoulders into a hole, resisted the ut-most efforts of two strong young men, who endeavouredto drag it out by the hind legs and tail. The sandyplains in
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Keywords: ., bookauthorrichmondch, bookcentury1800, booksubjectanimalbehavior
