1gO THE ODYSSEY OF AN ANIMAL COLLECTOR 
coons in general form, size, and in their banded tails, but have 
thicker fur. Although classed as carnivores, their diet in the wilds 
is probably mainly vegetarian, and judging by the difficulty in 
feeding newly captured specimens, they are almost certainly spe- 
cialized in this part of their diet, which is supplemented with 
animal food in the form of eggs, insects, and probably young birds. 
In captivity they will lap up a mixture of raw eggs and milk 
from the start but will touch little else for weeks. They are forest- 
dwelling animals, mainly nocturnal, and sleep during the day in 
trees. Being used to a cool rarefied atmosphere they undoubtedly 
feel the heat, and in a place like Calcutta great care has to be 
taken to keep them in a cool shady spot where there is a breeze, 
otherwise they show signs of distress. I was worried about the hot 
train journey across India to Bombay, so arranged for numerous 
large blocks of ice to be put round their boxes in the van. 
Our return journey was much more of a headache than any- 
thing we had experienced while collecting. We had ordered a 
closed van to be attached to the mail train. This was agreed upon, 
but it had never occurred to any official that the menagerie would 
require any air, light, or attendance during the long train journey. 
Having loaded up everything, the officials concerned forbade me 
to travel in the van and insisted that it be shut, bolted, and sealed. 
This meant that the van was in almost total darkness. A tre- 
mendous argument ensued, and I was placed in a difficult position, 
for transference to a goods train would have meant a slow journey 
with much shunting and no facilities for eating and sleeping. 
In the end it was agreed that I should be allowed to enter the 
van at certain stations to feed the birds and give them some light. 
At the first big station after several hours’ travel I managed to 
have the seals broken and to enter the van. 
Feeding was a long job with masses of insectivorous and nectar- 
feeding birds all caged singly. Before I had half finished I was 
asked to leave the van as the train was due to leave. This I refused 
to do and went on feeding the birds. More and more officials 
arrived and the argument became increasingly heated. 
My line was that the railway had accepted this livestock, the 
nature of which was disclosed at the time, and therefore they must 
allow facilities for feeding. I offered to ride in the van and look 
