Raccoon

Raccoon Procyon lotor

Description

A small, intelligent carnivores of the genus Procyon that is native to North and South America. Raccoon fur is thick and covered with dark, silky, silver-gray guard hairs. The North American raccoon (Procyon lotor) was extensively hunted for its fur. Coonskin caps were often worn by frontiersmen and full-length raccoon coats were popoular the early twentieth century. The hairs have dark-grayish brown tips changing to tan bodies. They have been used for calligraphy brushes, but have little resiliency and do not point well.

Synonyms and Related Terms

coon; ringtail; North American raccoon (Procyon lotor); Waschbären (Deut.); mapache (Esp.); procyon (Esp., Fr., It.); procioni (It.); wasberen (Ned.); szop (Pol.)

Raccoon Procyon lotor

Other Properties

Fur length = 1-1.5 inches

Additional Images

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  Raccoon skin

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  Raccoon

Sources Checked for Data in Record

• Encyclopedia Britannica, http://www.britannica.com Comment: "raccoon." Encyclopædia Britannica. 2005. Encyclopædia Britannica Premium Service 25 Jan. 2005 .

• Edward Reich, Carlton J. Siegler, Consumer Goods: How to Know and Use Them, American Book Company, New York City, 1937

• Zora Sweet Pinney, 'A Handle on the Terms used for Artists' Brushes', unpublished glossary, 1999

• Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia, at http://www.wikipedia.com Comment: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raccoon (Accessed Sept. 14, 2005)