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wandering backwai'ds and forward over the ground and feeling 

 every thing carefully they come in contact with, sometimes much 

 in the fashion of a pianist, at others, the undecided movements 

 and aimless gestures of its paws remind one of the motions char- 

 acteristic of the hands in some imbeciles. Now and again his 

 paws touch something or other which he immediately picks up 

 by using the toes of both feet and transfers to his mouth. The 

 specimen before you is apparently tame, but one is never sure 

 of not receiving a sharp pinch from his powerful teeth. He is 

 fond of society and his great delight in the mornings is to play 

 with one's hand and put his inquisitive fore feet right up the 

 sleeve, another trick is to get all four paws round one's leg and 

 give it a succession of very bear-like hugs. At night, before 

 dark, he gambols about in a heavy fashion and worries that 

 very handsome but unbearlike tail, much in the manner of 

 kittens. His eye, although dull looking in the day time is quick, 

 and no matter how much he may appear to be absorbed in his 

 antics he is ever ready to make a Budden rush on the fowl or 

 chicken which trespasses within the circle which his chain limits 

 him to. PIo frequently stands up on his hind feet and he climbs 

 wel' and in both actions he is very bearlike. Sometimes, he varies 

 his exercises by tiirning somersaults and I have seen him try to 

 stand on his head on a rail. At other times he will hold his tail in 

 his mouth and forefeet and leap along kangaioo fashion. 

 One of the peculiarities of the racoons is their fondness of water. 

 This specimen directly he has a bowl of water given to him, 

 puts his fore paws into it and takes a good long drink, lapping 

 like a dog, then he gets into it altogether, but does not sit down, 

 all the while his fore feet are in motion rubbing each other. 

 If he has food given him at the same time he frequently — not 

 always — puts it in the water and in the case offish he rinses it 

 Yrell before eating it. Very often he upsets the water, in which 

 case he rubs his food in the mud before devouring it, the object 

 being apparently to make it moist. If he is given food without water, 

 he rubs it in the dust and dirt before swallowing it. Anuther 

 peculiarity is perhaps worthy of notice and that is he invariably, 

 after having washed his food and dabbled for some time in the 

 •water, fouls it. Should food be placed beyond his reach he will, 

 having got to the full extent of his chain, turn round and en- 

 deavour to seize it Avith his hind feet and in this way he often 

 succeeds. In this and many other tricks he shews a considerable 

 amount of intelligence. He rarely makes a noise except when 

 frightened, and then it is very low and subdued, although some- 

 times he Avill give utterance to a growl when eating. On one occas- 

 ion when loose he chased a dog double his size out of the yard, 

 but has of late manifested some fear of the same animal. 



