The Raccoon 53 
the veteran fished with his paws in the same man- 
ner as did our pet Jim. 
But though the raccoon may enjoy fishing, his 
festival season is when the corn is in the milk. It is 
this fondness for the corn that has brought down 
upon his luckless head the vengeance of the farmer. 
When a cornfield has been located by the raccoons 
they visit it nightly, whether in bright moonlight or 
in the drizzling rain, until the corn is well hardened. 
Most expert are they in stripping the husks from the 
ear, using their fore paws as we use our hands. 
In the green-corn season I have often heard what I 
supposed to be the call of the raccoon, perhaps a 
summons to meet at some common place of feasting. 
This vibratory cry seemed to pierce the thick gloom 
as it came from the forest, field, or near by orchard, 
the rallying-call gradually lessening as the various 
clans met; and when it entirely ceased we imagined 
that they were busy stripping the husks from the 
newly formed ears. 
Raccoon-hunting by the light of the August moon 
has furnished as much sport in the North as has 
opossum-hunting in the South, although raccoon- 
hunting is not restricted to the North, as many a 
colored man can testify. The flesh of the young 
raccoon is toothsome and not by any means to be 
