RACCOON FAMILY 



107 



The Raccoon may be easily caught in steel 

 traps ; but it is essential that these should be set 

 under water near the margins of swamps or 

 streams. The more sporting method in the 

 South is to hunt these animals at night with 

 specially trained dogs, which are usually a breed 

 of Fox-hounds. It has often been stated that 

 the Raccoon leaves a very faint foot-scent : Init 

 this opinion is controverted by some hunters 

 who state that hounds will hunt a Raccoon at 

 midday over snow, on a trail which has been 

 made the previous night. The Raccoon after a 

 short run invariably takes to a tree, and stays 

 there until it is captured or escapes. It will stick 

 tightly even while the tree is being felled to 

 bring it to earth. 



Like the Bear, the Raccoon is plantigrade in 

 its manner of walking. It has been nick-named 

 " the little brother of the Bear," from this and 

 other similarities. For example, it is fond of 

 dipping its food into water before eating it. 



Concerning this trait, \lr. \\'itmer Stone says: 

 " It is curious that the quaint custom of washing 

 meat of all kinds before eating it should be 

 clung to so religiously by the Raccoons of all 

 parts, of the country. Raccoons are so easily 

 domesticated and prove such amusing pets, that 

 accounts of tame Coons are to be picked up 

 almost anywhere, and although exhibiting plenty 

 of originality in most ways, they all seem to 

 agree in this one particular, that when meat is 

 offered them it must be thoroughly washed or 

 else eaten under protest apparently, many a 

 Coon preferring to go hungry rather than eat 

 flesh which it has not been allowed to wash. 

 Moreover, they are not willing to let any one else 

 do the work for them, insisting rather on being 

 allowed to do it all themseh'es, holding their food 

 in both fore paws and sousing it about in the 

 water until it is reduced to a pallid, flabby. 



unappetizing mess which only a Coon could look 

 upon without misgiving." 



Raccoons are most at home in a hollow tree. 

 Here they construct a rough nest and rear five 

 or six young every year. " The Raccoon hiber- 

 nates during the severest part of the winter," 

 says Dr. Merriam, " retiring to his nest rather 

 early, and appearing again in February or 

 March, according to the earliness or lateness of 

 the season. Disliking to wade through deep snow 

 he does not come out much till the alternate 

 thawing and freezing of the surface, suggest- 



Photograph by C. P. Cobb 



SITTING TIGHT 



The snows of winter do not bother the Raccoon as his fur coat is 

 well lined 



ive of coming spring, makes a hard crust upon 

 which he can run with ease. He does not 

 usually walk many miles during a single night, 

 and consequently is soon tracked to the tree, in 

 some hole of which he has retired for the day. 

 It is unusual to find a Raccoon alone, for 

 they commonly live and travel in small com- 

 panies, consisting of several members of a single 

 family." 



DESERT RACCOON 



Procyon pallidus 71/ 



General Description. — Much the same as Eastern 

 Raccoon but colors pale, size medium. 



Dental Formula. — .See Eastern Raccoon. 



Pelage. — .\bove. pale gray darkened by short black 

 tips to the coarse hairs; below, grayish-white, the drab 

 underfur being nearly obscured ; tail long and slender, 

 with narrow blackish rings ; hind feet pale gray. 



Measurements. — Length. 33 inches ; tail vertebrae. 

 12 inches : hind foot. 5 inches ; height of ear above 

 crown, 2 inches. 



email] 



Range. — Colorado Desert. California. 



Food. — Fish, birds, small mammals, frogs and a few 

 insects. 



Remarks. — This is a pale desert adaptation of the 

 genus. Because of the wide differences in the environ- 

 ments of the Desert and Eastern Raccoons it is not 

 surpri.sing to find some difference in their habits. The 

 Desert Raccoon, however, is true to his descent to a 

 considerable degree. For related species see under 

 Eastern Raccoon. 



