pro THE EDITOR OP THE SPECTATOR."] SrE,—I was much interested
in your article in the Spectator of July 6th on "Nondescript Animals," especially in your description of the kinkajou. When stationed in British Honduras some years ago I kept two of these little animals, and sound them, as you say, most delightful pets, with the one reservation that their notions of cleanliness were of an elementary nature. They are known to the Creoles there by the name of "night-walker," and to the Spaniards as " milas de noche," or little night monkeys. They are absolutely omnivorous in their feeding, eating with equal relish birds, birds' eggs, insects of all sorts, and fruit, and it is quite wonderful what a quantity of water they will drink. 'Mob' and Chittabob,' as my pets were named, lived on the front verandah of my house by day and on the back at night, tied with a long string and swivel attached to a collar round the neck. They slept all day, but at night played the merriest pranks, their favourite play-fellow being a large, yellow tom- cat. All three would roll over and over each other like so many kittens until, having been too roughly handled or too tightly embraced by the prehensile tails, the cat used his claws. Then the one that got the scratch would utter the hissing noise they make when angry and go for the cat like a little demon. In these fights it was always the cat that got the worst of it. That they eat live birds I know, for my pets killed and eat the best part of a brood of young turkeys I had. These had just left their mother, and took to roost- ing near the top of the stairs leading to the back verandah. One by one they disappeared till nearly all were gone. I made sure a 'possum was the villain, and so watched for him behind the creepers in the corner to shoot him. When all was quiet and the turkeys fast asleep on the top step but one, Chitta- bob,' "whose tail was the longest," crept to the top of the steps, slewed himself round, wound his tail about one, jerked him up, and grabbed -him by the neck in a moment. As you say, the kinkajou's tongue is a truly wonderful instrument, and how long it is I should be afraid to say. It is thrust into every crevice and hole its owner comes across; from force of habit, I suppose. I brought Chittabob home with me, and on board ship he lived in a hencoop under the bridge. One night he got loose and entered the doctor's cabin; he, knowing the creature belonged to me, carried him to my cabin, thrust him in, and shut the door. I slept in the upper bunk. Suddenly I awoke with a great start to find Chittabob's ' tail wound tightly round my neck and his tongue up my nose as far as it would go! The bang I gave my-head against the deck above woke my fellow-passenger, who, when I told him what had happened, said : "Now that is very curious, for I was dreaming that some one was sitting on my chest and ramming straws up my nose." Another escapade of his was very funny. When I started from Plymouth at an early hour in the morning, just as the summer dawn was breaking, I had a carriage to myself. So I wrapt Chittabob' in a rug and put him under the seat, and we both went to sleep. The next thing I was conscious of was that some one was shouting loudly and excitedly. Up I jumped, to see a fellow. passenger, who had joined me whilst I slumbered, standing bolt upright with one leg stiffly stuck out, and Chittabob ' calmly swarming up it with his tail tightly wrapped round it as he ascended. Poor Chittabob ! ' we were great friends, but the best friends must part, and I had to give him to some friends in Essex. Whilst with them he was well and happy, and his appetite was good, for on one occasion he consumed over thirty sparrows' eggs at one sitting! When the next winter cold came on he was sent to the "Zoo," and there lived, an ornament to the Small Mammal House, for two or three years, but a severe winter in the early " eighties" was too cold for the poor little fellow, as it was indeed for many of his fellow-prisoners in the same evil-smelling but interesting house, and he died. He was the most amusing and quaint pet amongst the many I have had, except perhaps
a coati.mundi, or quash, as the Creoles call him. His nose is as long as the kinkajou's tongue and equally inquisitive,--- but I must not prolong this already long story.---I am, Sir,
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