Tin: i: \ < > 



| : ; 



hairs are alternately marki>d \\iili Mark and grayish while. Upon the top "f the bead and 

 BfOBB the eyes the fur is of a \nvdark blackish brown, and \\\>i\ the kn' joint of each lag 

 the fur is of a darker tint tlutilflJltlMBMt of the l>od> The tail is rather short mid bushy in 

 character, and i" ma iked \\itli li\.-. i -oni.-tim--- -i\ l>lackih rim;- ti|*on a ground nf dark 

 _-n\ In tin- I'.nti-h MU--IIMI i- | i. -:-. i .> -p.-. -mien <>f tin- Racoon, which is .-ntirvly white, 

 it- fur IH-JIIU "f a> pun- a whiu-iiexs as that of the ermine it--lf. 



In it- gait and i- \ i-ible an admixture of tin- plantigrade with the 



dicitir.id' : for when it -taiid- r -it- it plant- tin- entire -ol'- ( it- foot ii|>oii tin- ^nmiid. lint 

 it run- in lia-t- it only tourh<M tli- i-arlli \\ith tli tip?< of its tuea. QenenUly, it i- 

 in it- hal'it-. ji;i.s.sin^ thi- \v ho|f (if tin* da\ linn- in >l--p. Mindly rurlf| up in tin- wann 

 hlanki-t of it- I\MI rii-li fur, and -luinlHTin>j hwivily with it- ln-ad sunk U-tMcfii ilf hinder liinl'-. 



A- i- indii-atiil 1-y tin- |><-uliur 

 natiin- of it.-* trth. tin- Kai-'N.u i- 

 rapjil'L- of f.-.-.liiiir on animal or 

 vegetable food, hut ?<eems to prefer 

 ill.' latt.-i lnd<eci, there seem to 

 U- f-w thinir hirli tht> Racoon will 

 not rat. < MH- of tin-*' animals at* a 

 piece of clar pencil which it 

 -uat.-li.il out of m\ hand, and tritsl 

 \rry hard to rat tin- riiM-lojie of u 

 Irttn- on \\hirh I was making notes. 

 Not -uri-r-dini: in tin- attfinpt. it 

 . onsolrd :'-. i: !.\ trai in_' tli-- pa]'i 

 into niinutr nmr-rls, rni|iloyinu r 

 t--tli and paws in the attnupt. It 

 did its 1-M to _'rt a rinir off my 

 titurrr. l>\ hitchingoneof itscnxiked 

 <-la\\s into tin- ring and pulling with 

 all it- -ti-rnirth. which was vrry 

 ronsi I- ruble in |>i"|,, ,ni,,n to th,- 

 the animal. Its brown eyes 

 up with animation when 

 engaged in play, and it was very 

 fond of pushing its paw through 

 thr ban of its cage, in order to 

 attract attention. 



A. Racoon that was kept in a 

 barrack-yard in Canada, in com 

 pany with u bear, an owl, and 

 various finned and feathered crea- 

 turea, was considered to be the in 

 interesting of all the little menagerie. It WBM extmnrly tame, but could not \*> trusted near 

 poultry, as it had a bad habit of pouncing -uddenly upon them, grasping them in its hand-like 

 paws, and biting <>fT their heads in a moment. It would then devour the head and afterward* 

 the body in a leisurely manner. There were many bats in the neighborhood, and the soldier- 

 were in the habit of capturing those nocturnal depredators, and throwing them on the ground 

 within reach of the Racoon's chain. B^fon- the bat could flap its wings, the Racoon would 

 leap upon it. roll it rapidly in its paws for a while, and then despatch it w ith a -in. 



It was rather a vengeful animal, and poaaoaaod of a tenacious . for an in-ult The 



great owl that was partaker of the same residence had one day l-en irritated with the R.-H -n 

 and had i--.-k.-d it on the back. The Racoon treasured the insult in its heart, and waited a 

 favorable time for revenge. The opportunity was not long delayed, for on the first occasion 

 that the owl ventured within reach of the Racoon's chain, the aggrieved animal crept slyly 

 toward! i-- be, nri idiaftlij tehad Mri !: hpftan af OM owfi tail. 



BAOOON.- 



