THE RACCOON 95 



object in the leafless branches, and by his man- 

 ners and his voice evincing great impatience 

 that we were so tardy in coming to his assist- 

 ance. Arrived on the spot, we saw in the tree 

 a coon of unusual size. One bold climber pro- 

 posed to go up and shake it down. This was 

 what old Cuff wanted, and he fairly bounded 

 with delight as he saw his young master shin- 

 ning up the tree. Approaching within eight or 

 ten feet of the coon, the climber seized the branch 

 to which it clung and shook long and fiercely. 

 But the coon was in no danger of losing its 

 hold ; and when the climber paused to renew his 

 hold it turned toward him with a growl, and 

 showed very clearly a purpose to advance to the 

 attack. This caused its pursuer to descend to 

 the ground again with all speed. When the coon 

 was finally brought down with a gun, it fought 

 the dog, which was a large, powerful animal, 

 with great fury, returning bite for bite for some 

 moments ; and after a quarter of an hour had 

 elapsed, and its unequal antagonist had shaken 

 it as a terrier does a rat, making his teeth meet 

 through the small of its back, the coon still 

 showed fig^ht. 



The coon is very tenacious of life, and like 

 the badger will always whip a dog of its own size 

 and weight. A woodchuck can bite severely, 



