THE SENSES AND INSTINCTS OF THE RACCOON 307 



if called. A month later no one of the four would follow at all, 

 and their period of infancy was past. 



A clear case of the inhibition of one instinct by another was 

 observed in connection with the impulse to follow. The sixth 

 raccoon which came into my possession had been made cross 

 by teasing and would snap at any one who attempted to touch 

 her. Notwithstanding this when I set her free in the meadow 

 she followed me as the others had done. When I stopped she 

 overtook me and halted at my feet. I then stroked her and 

 picked her up. This I repeated many times. There was no 

 snapping during this exercise in following, but when I tied 

 the raccoon in her usual place and tried to pick her up she 

 snapped at me viciously. Thus the following instinct, which 

 is characteristic of the young raccoon, inhibited, momentarily, 

 the fighting instinct which had been developed early in this 

 animal by teasing. With the four full grown raccoons the con- 

 dition is reversed. They will not snap at one who tries to pick 

 them up when in their room, but they may do so when they 

 are free. 



Fear: As I have already stated, the raccoons showed fear. 

 Like human beings they start at sounds but not nearly so vio- 

 lently nor so frequently as two coyotes which I had. The 

 latter, of course, must escape from their pursuers by flight 

 alone while the raccoon depends upon climbing and hiding. 

 Like the dog they come to distinguish a threatening tone of 

 the trainer and to retreat on hearing it. If hungry this has 

 little effect on them for the thoughtful experimenter will give 

 his animals little cause to fear him. 



The sudden darkening of the room caused by the door's 

 blowing shut produced in our young animals a panic of fear 

 for a moment. This, with their fear of the young raccoon which 

 I placed among them, is the only instance of fear of things 

 which they saw. 



Anger: The natural history accounts describe the raccoon 

 as especially good-natured and so he is. Yet anger or ferocity 

 was observed in these animals at about the twelfth week of their 

 age. Though scrupulous care was taken to keep the animals 

 tame they became fierce if they were left without being handled 

 for a few days. In the fighting attitude the ears are laid back, 

 the head lowered and the posterior portion of the body sharply 



