MAMMALS OF MINNESOTA. 143 



ceeded we plunged into a swampy and tangled woodland, to the 

 writer, at least, of unknown extent. The baying or rather 

 'yelping of the dogs in various directions kept us informed that 

 "Tige" and "Zep," etc., were at their work. Suddenly the 

 conclave of hunters assembled violently excited. "Zep hab 

 struck fresh 'coon trail, shore," said one. "Go way, dar, 

 Sandy," was the reply, "dat dog never let on datarway cep'en 

 he's found 'possum tracks." In a sage discussion, involving 

 the theory and practice of dog-education, the time was occupied 

 until we had all assembled about the base of a tall tree which 

 seemed the object of the most excited interest of the mongrel 

 called "Zep." Our lights brilliantly illuminated the base and 

 lower branches which, however, cast deep and deceptive 

 shadows upon the spire of the noble tree. Boys and dogs were 

 equally excited, and there were proposed and instantly rejected 

 a variety of expedients for dislodging -the unknown animal 

 which the 'possum dog hazarded his reputation in affirming 

 still lay concealed among the boughs. The other dogs now 

 came up, and some immediately caught the infection and added 

 their strangely modulated cries to the din. One, however, 

 sniffed wisely at the scent and, shaking his head sadly, s talked 

 off to a small sapling, large enough to support nothing heavier 

 than a squirrel, and set up a lively opposition, gazing into the 

 bare top of the sapling with well-feigned admiration, tearing 

 the ground and rending the air with his deep cries. This sage 

 conduct was the source of deep gratification to his owner, who 

 ' ; knowed from the first thar wan't no 'possum in that thar 

 gum. " But at last it was decided that an athletic youth should 

 scale the tree with a gun upon his back and beard the animal 

 in his retreat. A period of breathless silence followed by a 

 deafening report ensued. Something struck the ground with a 

 heavy thud and the dogs rushed up to gaze upon the hero 

 who had fired and brought himself, but not his game, to the 

 ground. He reported, however, a most mammoth opossum 

 clinging to the upper boughs. Candidates for new honors were 

 few, but additional inducements sent another sable youth up 

 the tree, and we were rewarded by a flash followed by a suc- 

 cession of snarls and spits as a heavy animal crashed earthward 

 and landed in the midst of the group of furious dogs. Then 

 ensued a scene more easy to imagine than to describe. Dogs 

 and boys all eager to beat and tear the life out of the poor ani- 

 mal which seemed at first likely to vanquish the former if left 

 to themselves. When the dogs had been beaten off the leader 



