304 LAWRENCE W. COLE 



Davis 3 describes the mother's warning note to the young 

 which, doubtless, I have not heard. 



INSTINCTS OF RACCOONS 



I have already described the instinctive cry of the raccoon. 

 It subsides into a whining purr of satisfaction as hunger is 

 allayed. A young animal will drop off to sleep while quietly 

 whimpering. 



Sucking: The impulse to suck is ripe at birth, of course, 

 and with it is a tendency to press with the forepaws on the 

 breast of the mother. When a young raccoon is fed from a 

 bottle the two forepaws are gropingly outstretched, then brought 

 together and clasped just as a human babe sometimes clasps 

 its hands without interlocking the fingers. Thus clasped they 

 sink together down to the floor only to be outstretched again 

 in blind and futile groping. The act is part of the sucking 

 reflex and its persistence shows its instinctive character. The 

 sucking impulse remained active until the animals were (as 

 estimated) four months old. This is probably somewhat longer 

 than its normal period. A slight tendency to lap milk appeared 

 in the twelfth week. Hunger would have brought them to this 

 mode of feeding much earlier. The sucking instinct may be 

 perverted, the animal sucking parts of its own or its compan- 

 ion's body. This perversion waned, however, with the waning 

 of the instinct and disappeared with it. 



Creeping: The young raccoon seems to pass through a stage 

 of creeping. The youngest one that I had under observation 

 was not more than a month old when he was received. His 

 movements over the floor were so different from those of the 

 adult that they may be described only by the word, creeping. 

 The forelimbs are widespread, the palms outstretched as if 

 feeling the way. The body is propelled, therefore, chiefly by 

 the hinder limbs which are wider spread than in the later walk- 

 ing. The whole movement is uncertain, staggering and trem- 

 ulous, and frequently results in rolling over on the side. Hence, 

 it is suggestive of creeping though it may be, instead, the be- 

 ginning of the impulse to climb. 



Climbing: This instinct involves the sense of support, which 

 is present before the raccoon possesses either the strength or 



3 Davis, H. B. Amer. Jour, of Psych. 1907, Vol. 18, pp. 45L 



