Object Status:
Unlocated
Accession Date:
August 28, 1792
Primary Source Reference:
Dunlap's American Daily Advertiser (Philadelphia), 28 Aug 1792
Additional Source Text:
In his Natural History Lecture No. 5 (1799), Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University, Peale wrote: "The first peculiarity which strikes the spectator on viewing this Animal, is the extreme length of its turned up snout, which was moveable in every division. It smelt for Insects, and its nose was so very flexible that it rooted them out from the crevices of walls, or in the bark of Trees, and which seemed to be its favorite food. It was perfectly good humoured and would climb up the legs and rifle the pockets of any person that came in its reach. Although a small Animal, it would bravely defend itself when attacked. Some authors have not improperly called it the Racoon of South America; the similarity of its manners in many respects, induced me to put it in the same case with the Racoon of North America"
In his "Walk through the Philada. Museum" (1805-1806), p. 21, Peale wrote: "whose flexible length is employed in rooting out from the Crevices of the bark of Trees or clifs of Rocks a variety of Insects, its favorite food. It is a social animal, fond of play, and will climb up on our legs to riffle our Pockets in search of any thing eatable. The resemblance to the Racoon had induced some Authors, improperly, to place them together."
Notes:
Linnaeus's Viverra narica is now the white-nosed coati (Nasua narica), which is found mostly in Mexico and Central America. If the Museum's specimen was indeed from South America, it was more likely Nasua nasua, pictured here.
Specimen Type:
Live (presumably eventually taxidermied/preserved)
Peale's Common Name:
Coatimundi; Brazilian weasel
Peale's Scientific Name:
Coati brun, Buff; Viverra narica, Lin.
Current Common Name:
South American coati
Current Scientific Name
Nasua nasua
