The New International Encyclopædia/Kinkajou |←Kinic acid||The
New International Encyclopædia |Edition of 1905. See also
Kinkajou on Wikipedia, and the disclaimer.| KINK'AJOU (probably
local native name), or Potto. A South American tropical
carnivore (Cercoleptes caudivovulus) of the raccoon family
(Procyonidæ), formerly classed with lemurs on account of its
woolly aspect, monkey-like dexterity, and strong prehensile
tail. Its body is about 18 inches long, and its tail 12 inches;
and it is clothed in soft fur, uniform yellowish-brown in color,
giving it a lemur-like prettiness, which, with its tamability,
makes the little animal an attractive pet. It feeds on the eggs
and young of birds, small animals, insects, honey and bees,
fruits, and the like; and uses its fore paws with a deftness
almost equal to that of a monkey. It is found from Central
Mexico to Southern Brazil.