Raccoon 1021 



So far as I have been able to determine, the young Coons 

 stay with the old folks as long as the latter allow it; and these 

 make their full-grown offspring welcome until their quarters 

 are needed by the new family, which arrives with commendable 

 regularity as soon as the late April showers and the greening 

 hills proclaim that now and truly is the world astir with spring. 



The hibernation of the Coon is strictly dependent upon habits 

 temperature. In the Red River Valley it lasts from mid- 

 November to early March. In the latitude of New York it is 

 shortened at both ends by several weeks. In the Southern 

 States the species dispenses with hibernation altogether. 



The remarks of Alexander Henry on the Raccoon of the 

 Upper Red River give a clear idea of their times and seasons 

 in northern Minnesota. The records in his Journal are thus:* 



"Park River, September 8, 1800. On the beach, Raccoon 

 tracks are plentiful. (P. 90. J 



"October 4. Caught * * * 2 Raccoons, in * * * trap. 

 Caught 5 Raccoons. (P. 112.) 



"October 5. My men caught 5 Raccoons in their traps 

 along the beach. (P. 112.) 



"October 6. My men caught 3 Raccoons, in traps, 

 (P. 112.) 



"October 1 8. My men have caught 20 Raccoons. (P. 122.J 



"October 19. Bring in daily some Raccoons. * * * very 

 fat. (P. 122.J 



"November 7. My men took great numbers of fat 

 Raccoons in their traps. (P. 136. j 



"November 21. They take no more Raccoons with 

 traps. These animals are lodged in hollow trees where they 

 will remain like Bears until spring without any subsistence. 



(P. 1 55-) 



"November 30. * * * Some went Raccoon hunting, the 

 weather being warm. They returned in the evening with 7, 

 which they found in one hollow tree. The size of this tree 

 was enormous, having a hollow 6 feet in diameter, the rim or 



* Journal, pub. i%97. 



