﻿FAUNA. 
  313 
  

  

  Of 
  more 
  grovelling 
  instinct 
  is 
  our 
  Mole, 
  of 
  which 
  it 
  

   is 
  not 
  known 
  that 
  we 
  have 
  more 
  than 
  one 
  species, 
  and 
  

   he 
  rarely 
  ^' 
  blunders 
  into 
  light." 
  

  

  Although 
  the 
  traces 
  of 
  his 
  burrowing 
  are 
  common 
  

   enough 
  in 
  our 
  gardens, 
  it 
  is 
  not 
  complained 
  of 
  for 
  much 
  

   damage, 
  and 
  this 
  is 
  doubtless 
  compensated 
  for 
  by 
  the 
  

   destruction 
  of 
  the 
  larvjB 
  of 
  insects 
  more 
  mischievous. 
  

   How 
  striking 
  are 
  the 
  form 
  and 
  flesh-like 
  resemblance 
  of 
  

   its 
  fore 
  feet, 
  Avith 
  the 
  palms 
  turned 
  outward, 
  to 
  the 
  

   human 
  hand. 
  

  

  Bruin, 
  once 
  so 
  numerous 
  that, 
  sixty 
  years 
  since, 
  one 
  

   hundred 
  were 
  killed 
  in 
  a 
  single 
  winter's 
  hunt, 
  between 
  

   Natchez 
  and 
  the 
  Homochitto, 
  has 
  now 
  withdrawn 
  to 
  

   gloomy 
  recesses 
  and 
  almost 
  impenetrable 
  canebrakes, 
  

   from 
  which 
  he 
  makes 
  an 
  occasional 
  foray, 
  and 
  levies 
  

   contributions 
  upon 
  the 
  hogpens 
  of 
  the 
  frontier 
  settlers, 
  

   or 
  revels 
  in 
  the 
  milky 
  sweets 
  of 
  the 
  maturing 
  maize 
  of 
  

   convenient 
  plantations, 
  breaking 
  down 
  the 
  stalks 
  and 
  

   gathering 
  them 
  in 
  a 
  bed 
  around 
  him 
  to 
  feast 
  at 
  leisure. 
  

   The 
  lean 
  flesh 
  is 
  dark 
  and 
  coarse, 
  but 
  is 
  highly 
  esteemed 
  

   by 
  many, 
  and 
  the 
  oil 
  is 
  much 
  valued 
  for 
  the 
  cuisine 
  and 
  

   the 
  toilet. 
  

  

  The 
  sides 
  or 
  middlings 
  of 
  a 
  fat 
  bear, 
  cured 
  as 
  bacon, 
  

   none 
  can 
  condemn, 
  resembling 
  the 
  rich 
  brisket 
  of 
  the 
  

   beef, 
  and 
  vying 
  with 
  the 
  vaunted 
  buffiilo 
  hump 
  in 
  texture 
  

   and 
  flavor. 
  

  

  Nearly 
  as 
  abundant 
  as 
  the 
  possum 
  is 
  the 
  Raccoon, 
  

   although 
  equally 
  hunted, 
  not 
  so 
  much 
  for 
  his 
  flesh 
  as 
  his 
  

   hide, 
  which 
  commands 
  from 
  the 
  dealers 
  in 
  peltry 
  a 
  price 
  

   sufficiently 
  remunerating 
  to 
  make 
  his 
  capture 
  an 
  object. 
  

   His 
  depredations 
  on 
  young 
  corn 
  in 
  the 
  field 
  forms 
  an 
  

   additional 
  motive 
  for 
  his 
  destruction. 
  He 
  is 
  taken 
  ordi- 
  

   narily 
  at 
  night 
  with 
  the 
  common 
  cur 
  dog, 
  or 
  under 
  baited 
  

  

  