370 



THE OPOSSUM. 



CHAPTER LX. 



HUNTING THE RACCOON, THE BLACK-TAILED DEER, AND THE 



MUSK OX. 



HE RACCOON is well 

 known in the greater 

 part of the American 

 Continent ; and the rac- 

 coon hunt forms the bur- 

 den of many popular refrains in the 

 United States. This animal possesses 

 the mischievousness of the monkey, 

 united with a blood-thirsty and vindic- 

 tive spirit. He slaughters the Tenants 

 of the poultry-yard with indiscriminate ferocity, and this, in many 

 cases, leads to his own destruction, by exciting the vengea'nce of 

 the farmer. 



Being peculiarly fond of sweet substances, the raccoon is occa- 

 sionally very destructive to plantations of sugar cane,* and of 

 Indian corn. While the ear of the Indian corn is still young, soft 

 and tender, "in the milk," it is very sweet, and is then eagerly 

 sought by the raccoons ; troops of them frequently enter fields of 

 maize, and in one night commit extensive depredations, both by tle 



Sir Hans Sloane ; " NaturaJ Risto v T of Jamaica." 



