COATI.

THe coatis, or coati-mondis, as they are generally
called, are natives of the warmer parts of the American
continent; they approximate to the racoons in their
general habits, and were formerly placed by Linnzeus
among the weasels. “In captivity,” says Linneus Martin,
“these animals sleep much during the day, and are most
active as the evening advances, at which time they
traverse their cage, turn their snout from side to side,
and pry into every corner. They do not, however, pass
the whole of the day in sleep, but are active for hours
together, retiring to rest only at intervals.

In drinking, the coati laps like a dog; but, as its long
snout would be in the way during this operation, it turns
it up, so as to prevent its being submerged.

These animals are highly gifted with the sense of
smell; they examine everything with their long nose,
which is in almost perpetual motion. Their temper is
irritable and capricious; they cannot be trusted, even
by those with whose persons they are the most familiar,
and, consequently, are not to be touched without great
caution; we have, however, seen some individuals toler-
ably good tempered, but most are savage, and their bite
is very severe. Their voice, seldom exerted, is, under
ordinary circumstances, a gentle hissing; but when
irritated or alarmed, they utter a singularly shrill ery,
something like that of a bird. They defend themselves
vigorously when attacked by a dog, or any animal, and
inflict desperate wounds. Like the racoon, they are
said to be fond of the juice of the sugar-cane, but we