476 



RA(X!OON. 

 Procyon lotor. 



DESCRIPTION. 



An animal of an inquisitive turn of mind, as its long nose 

 and moveable naked snout would indicate. Its nails are not 

 covered by hair and they are also long, sharp and hooked, 

 like claws, and "are used in an almost human manner." Its 

 head is round rather than long, with low erect ears, that are 

 covered with hair on both sides and rounded above; its tail 

 is about one-third its length and is very bushy, has some 

 four or five rings of black alternating with rusty white inter- 

 spaces, all being of equal width. Its feet on the soles are 

 naked, otherwise it is clothed with two kinds of hair, the Inner 

 one like wool, soft and finer than the outer, which is long and 

 coarse. Length thirty to thirty-six inches. 



Habitat.— GeneraUy distributed in United States east of the 

 Rocky Mountains. 



A POULTRY THIEF. 



He is a thief and aiino.vance to poulterer and farmer; 

 he will feast to satiety on a nest of eggs; nor are his 

 depredations in the poultry yard confined to eggs alone, 

 for letters are constantly received at this Depai'tnient 

 from various counties, telling of losses among the 

 chickens themselves. The most serious one comes to us 

 from Mr. A. Judson Smith, New Millport, Clearfield 

 county, who says that in one month he lost between 

 twelve and fifteen dollars worth of hens from the vis- 

 its of a Raccoon. W. G. Bunnell, Vosburg, Wyoming 

 county, writes that a Raccoon, which he was so fortu- 

 nate as to catch in a trap, Ijilled some twenty-five chick- 

 ens in two nights. Mr. M. E. Kemerer, Weisspoi-t, Car- 

 bon county, says: "Raccoons kill chickens or any kind 

 of poultry:" and Noah H. Parker, of McKean county, 

 assei'ts that this animal "will kill fowls whenever he 

 gets a good chance, and do considerable damage." 



