all, the creature, held in a vice-like grip, has no chance 

 whatever to exercise its natural defenses. The thoughts 

 of such trapped creatures, suffering mortal agony, and 

 besieged by other predatory animals which often prey 

 upon them, are enough to keep one awake at night. 



The raccoon is a short-haired, long-legged animal 

 with a broad head, pointed nose, bushy tail, erect ears, 

 and with five toes on all feet. The soles of the feet are 

 naked and it is liatfooted or plantigrade, leaving tracks 

 not unlike that of a small child. The front feet are 

 used as hands. 



The color is a brownish gray with black tipped 

 hairs on the back. The undersides are a pale gray and 

 the tail is marked with six or seven black or brownish 

 rings. The face is a dull w^hite with a distinct white 

 band above each eye while there are black patches on 

 the cheeks. These join a black stripe that runs from 

 the nostrils back over the forehead. The animal is 

 almost three feet long and weighs up to twenty- five 

 pounds. There are from four to six young in a litter. 



The American Marten: Pine Marten: 

 American Sable 



Mustela amrricana americana 



The marten is a long, slender-bodied animal 

 slightly larger than the mink, to which it is related. It 

 is said to be an excellent climber and is, therefore, an 

 enemy of se]uirrels and birds. Unlike the weasel, it 

 does not kill for the sake of killing and does not enter 

 cultivated areas. It remains in the recesses of the for- 

 ests and, in addition to birds and squirrels, it destroys 

 rabbits, but its chief food consists of small rodents and 

 shrews. The marten is shy and cunning and travels 

 about at night. 



-•H 91 >««- 



