76 THE SNOW-WALKERS. 



clearly a purpose to advance to the attack. This 

 caused his pursuer to descend to the ground again 

 with all speed. When the coon was finally brought 

 down with a gun, he fought the dog, which was a 

 large, powerful animal, with great fury, returning 

 bite for bite for some moments ; and after a quarter 

 of an hour had elapsed and his unequal antagonist 

 had shaken him as a terrier does a rat, making his 

 teeth meet through the small of his back, the coon 

 still showed fight. 



They are very tenacious of life, and like the badger 

 will always whip a dog of their own size and weight. 

 A woodchuck can bite severely, having teeth that cut 

 like chisels, but a coon has agility and power of limb 

 as well. 



They are only considered game in the fall or to- 

 wards the close of summer, when they become fat 

 and their flesh sweet. At this time, cooning in the 

 remote interior is a famous pastime. As this animal 

 is entirely nocturnal in its habits it is hunted only at 

 night. A piece of corn on some remote side hill near 

 the mountain, or between two pieces of woods, is 

 most apt to be frequented by them. While the corn 

 is yet green they pull the ears down like hogs, and 

 tearing open the sheathing of husks, eat the tender, 

 succulent kernels, bruising and destroying much more 

 than they devour. Sometimes their ravages are a 

 matter of serious concern to the farmer. But every 

 such neighborhood has its coon-dog, and the boys 

 and young men dearly love the sport. The party 



