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MAMMALS OF AMERICA 



Hernandez Raccoon. — Procyon lolor hcrnandczii 

 (\\'agler). Size large; colors dark; tail tapering; black 

 rings on tail, narrow. Along southern Pacific Coast 

 north into California. 



California Raccoon. — Procyon psora psora Gray. 

 Found alcmg the central Pacific Coast. 



Desert Raccoon. — Procyon pallidus Merriam. 

 See description following. 



The Raccoon is found only in North and 

 Central America, from Alaska in the north to 

 Costa Rica in the south. It is common to the 

 whole of the United States. Raccoons are gen- 



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Photograph by Julian A. D!toock 



UP A TREE 



Brer 'Coon has an anxious look, as though he had sighted 

 his arch enemy, the dog 



crally found in the woodlands near civilization, 

 but avoid the dense evergreen forests of the in- 

 terior. Like the numerous bats and the flying 

 squirrels, they are one of the most nocturnal of 

 North American mammals, vet they may occa- 

 sionally be seen abroad on cloudy days. In diet 



they are preferably flesh-eaters, feeding upon 

 poultry, mice, yovmg birds, bird's eggs, fresh- 

 water tortoises and their eggs, frogs, fish, mol- 

 luscs and insects. Occasionally, however, they 

 vary this with a diet of nuts, fruits and corn. 

 They delight to sport in the shallow water on the 

 margins of pools and streams, where they capture 

 the smaller fish lurking beneath the stones, and 

 the fresh-water mussels buried in the mud and 

 sand. They also catch such fish as happen into 

 pools near the shore, although they are unable to 

 dive in pursuit of their prey. They are, how- 

 ever, good swimmers. Although first-rate 

 climbers, and making their nests in a hollow high 

 up in some large tree, Raccoons cannot be con- 

 sidered arboreal animals. They neither hunt 

 their prey among the tree-tops, nor feed upon 

 the young shoots and twigs. Trees, however, 

 form their nesting and breeding places, and like- 

 wise their refuge when pursued by human or 

 other foes. With the falling shades of night 

 they invariably descend to hunt their prey and 

 search for food. 



This animal is known colloquially all over the 

 United .States as the " Coon." Its fur was highly 

 prized by the early settlers, and Coon-skin caps 

 were a staple article of apparel. In weight it 

 is about equal to a common Fox, but it is short 

 and stout. Restless, inquisitive, and prying, it 

 is a most mischievous beast where farmyards 

 and poultry are within reach. It kills the fowls, 

 eats the eggs, samples the fruit, and if caught, 

 generally puts up a stifif fight, although it some- 

 times shams death with all the skill of an Opos- 

 sum. It is very fond of fish and shell-fish, and 

 opens bivalves with wonderful skill. With one 

 crunch it will break the hinge with its teeth ; its 

 paws complete the work of getting out the meat. 

 It must have a delicate sense of touch, for in the 

 task it rarely avails itself of sight or smell. It 

 passes the mussel under its hind paws ; then, 

 without looking, it seeks with its forepaws the 

 weakest place. It there digs in its claws, forces 

 asunder the valves and tears out the flesh in 

 fragments, leaving nothing behind. 



The Raccoon has been one of the most valu- 

 able of the fur-bearing animals of North 

 .'\merica, and is consequently much persecuted. 

 Raccoon skins were formerly used as a recog- 

 nized circulating medium in the States of the 

 Mississijipi valley. 



