THE RACOON. 



333 



hairs are alternately marked with black and grayish white. Upon the top of the head and 

 across the eyes the fur is of a very dark blackish brown ; and upon the knee-joint of each leg 

 the fur is of a darker tint than on the rest of the body. The tail is rather short and bushy in 

 character, and is marked with five, or sometimes six blackish rings upon a ground of dark 

 gray. In the British Museum is preserved a specimen of the Racoon, which is entirely white, 

 its fur being of as pure a whiteness as that of the ermine itself. 



In its gait and general carriage is visible an admixture of the plantigrade with the 

 digitigrade ; for when it stands or sits it plants the entire sole of its foot upon the ground, but 

 when it runs in haste it only toiiches the earth with the tips of its toes. Generally, it is 

 nocturnal in its habits, passing the whole of the daytime in sleep, snugly curled up in the warm 

 blanket of its own rich fur, and slumbering heavily with its head sunk between its hinder limbs. 



As is indicated by the peculiar 

 nature of its teeth, the Racoon is 

 capable of feeding on animal or 

 vegetable food, but seems to prefer 

 the latter. Indeed, there seem to 

 be few things which the Racoon will 

 not eat. One of these animals ate a 

 piece of cedar pencil which it 

 snatched out of my hand, and tried 

 very hard to eat the envelope of a 

 letter on which I was making notes. 

 Not succeeding in the attempt, it 

 consoled itself by tearing the paper 

 into minute morsels, employing 

 teeth and paws in the attempt. It 

 did its best to get a ring off my 

 finger, by hitching one of its crooked 

 claws into the ring and pulling with 

 all its strength, which was very 

 considerable in proportion to the 

 size of the animal. Its brown eyes 

 lighted up with animation when 

 engaged in play, and it was very 

 fond of pushing its paw through 

 the bars of its cage, in order to 

 attract attention. 



A Racoon that was kept in a 

 barrack-yard in Canada, in com- 

 pany with a bear, an owl, and 

 various finned and feathered crea- 

 tures, was considered to be the most RACOON.-PWJW. iota,-. 

 interesting of all the little menagerie. It was extremely tame, but could not be trusted near 

 poultry, as it had , bad habit of pouncing suddenly upon them, grasping them in its hand -like 

 paws, and biting off their heads in a moment. It would then devoiir the head and afterwards 

 the body in a leisurely manner. There were many bats in the neighborhood, and the soldiers 

 were in the habit of capturing those nocturnal depredators, and throwing them on the ground 

 within reach of the Racoon's chain. Before the bat could flap its wings, the Racoon would 

 leap upon it, roll it rapidly in its paws for a while, and then despatch it with a single bite. 



It was rather a vengeful animal, and possessed of a tenacious memory for an insult. The 

 great owl that was partaker of the same residence had one day been irritated with the Racoon 

 and had pecked it on the back. The Racoon treasured the insult in its heart, and waited a 

 favorable time for revenge. The opportunity was not long delayed, for on the first occasion 

 that the owl ventured within reach of the Racoon's chain, the aggrieved animal crept slyly 

 towards its foe, and adroitly snatched out all the feathers of the owl's tail. 



