258 The Raccoon. 



On being offered food when hungry, or roused up suddenly from 

 any cause, or when in active play, the eye was of a lustrous green 

 changing apparently the whole countenance. 



It had a strong propensity to roll food and other things under 

 its paws ; segars in particular, especially when lighted. We have 

 observed a similar propensity in young bears. 



On placing a pail of water within its reach, it ran to it, and after 

 drinking would examine the contents to the bottom with the fore- 

 paws, seemingly expecting to find some fish or frog. If any thing 

 was found it was speedily brought to the surface and scrutinized. 

 We have seen it throw chips, bits of china and pebbles, &c., into 

 the pail, and then fish them out for amusement, but never saw it 

 put a particle of its food in to soak, except in a few instances when 

 it threw in hard corn, but we do not think it was for this purpose. 

 After playing for a short time in the water it would commonly 

 urinate in it and then upset the pail. 



We gave it a fish weighing tv/o pounds. The Raccoon turned 

 it in all directions in search of a convenient point of attack. The 

 mouth, nose, fins, vent, &.C., were tried. At length an opening was 

 made at the vent, into which a paw was deeply inserted ; the intes- 

 tines were withdrawn and eaten with avidity. At the same time 

 an attempt was made to insert the other paw into the mouth of 

 the fish to meet its fellow. This disposition to use the paws in 

 concert was shown in almost every action, sometimes in a very 

 ludicrous manner. On giving the animal a jug, one paw would be 

 inserted in the aperture, and a hundred twists and turns would be 

 made to join its fellow on the outside. 



After devouring as much of the fish as it wished, it placed the 

 paws on the remainder, and lay down to doze until hunger returned, 

 watching the favourite food, and growling at any animal which 

 happened to pass near it. By degrees this propensity to defend its 

 food passed off, and it would allow the dog or fox to partake of it 

 freely. We placed a half-grown fox within its reach : the Raccoon 

 instantly grasped it with its legs and paws, and commenced a close 

 examination. It thrust its pointed nose in the ear of the fox to the 

 very bottom, smelling and snuffing as if determined to find out the 

 nature of the animal. During this time it showed no disposition 

 to injure the fox. 



The Raccoon can scent an object for some distance with accu- 

 racy. We suffered ours to go loose on one occasion, when it made 

 directly for some small marmots confined in a cage in another 

 room. 



