32 EVERMANN AND CLARK 



28. Procyon lotor (Linnaeus). 

 Raccoon. 



The Raccoon appears to be somewhat common, especially in the 

 large stretch of heavy woodland east of the lake. It also occurs 

 west of the lake as well as north and south of it, as evidenced by its 

 depredations in the cornfields at roasting-ear time, and, later in the 

 year, by the piles of shells it leaves from its feasts on freshwater 

 mussels, a habit it shares with the muskrat. In the spring of 1901 

 they were often heard at night, — a shivering call not unlike that of 

 the screech-owl. In January, 1904, one was caught near Monterey 

 and another was taken east of the lake in November. In 1906 one 

 was seen on east side, October 30. On September 7, 1907, five young 

 Coons about two-thirds grown were got from a tree on the east 

 side. The old ones escaped. Five days later 3 others were caught. 



Mr. S. S. Chadwick says that the largest coon he ever saw weighed 

 18 pounds; this was in Pennsylvania. 



In the Delphi Journal was recently noted the capture of a coon 

 near Russiaville, Howard County, Indiana, which weighed 34 

 pounds. 



29. Blarina brevicauda (Say). 



Mole Shrew. 



On account of its nocturnal and underground habits the Mole 

 Shrew is not often seen and is therefore not very well or generally 

 known even to those living in localities in which it is really common. 

 It is probably not uncommon about Lake Maxinkuckee. We have 

 records of 1 2 specimens, of which 9 were found dead as follows : one 

 in road south of Arlington, in August, 1899; one on lake shore Octo- 

 ber 20, 1900; one near Fort Wayne, October 1, 1906; one near Wi- 

 nona, October 2, 1906; one south of Arlington, October 9, 1906; one 

 at icehouses, October 22, 1906; one on Long Point, October 29, 1906; 

 one on Long Point, September 25, 1907; one in road on Long Point, 

 October 13, 1907. One was caught in a trap on west side of lake, 

 November 1, and another on Long Point, October 22, 1906. One 

 was caught by a cat, October 3, 1906. 



Special search would no doubt have enabled us to find many more 

 specimens of this curious little creature. 



