RACCOONS OF NORTH AND MIDDLE AMERICA 9 



swamps, with no large trees within many miles, are regularly inhabited 

 by large numbers of raccoons that seem able to forego supplies of fresh 

 water. Although hollow trees are favored for the shelter afforded, 

 holes in banks and rocky ledges are also occupied, especially in locali- 

 ties where such trees are few or absent. Raccoons are mainly noc- 

 turnal in their search for food, but they sometimes come out during 

 the day, and are especially fond of sunning themselves, usually sprawled 

 in a variety of postures on the larger upper limbs of trees. 



SENSES AIMD INSTINCTS 



The sensory organs in raccoons are evidently highly developed. 

 Many observers accord these animals a reputation for great curiosity 

 and cunning, and a cleverness or adroitness, involving a high order of 

 general intelligence. As a result of experiments Cole (1907, p. 261) 

 concluded that "in the rapidity with which it forms associations the 

 raccoon seems to stand midway between the monkey and the cat. In 

 the complexity of the associations it is able to form it stands nearer 

 the monkey." It is remarkable, as pointed out by Stock (1929, p. 288), 

 that although Procyon occurred in California during the Pleistocene, no 

 member of the family has been found in the Rancho La Brea deposits. 

 This is probably due to the caution of raccoons in approaching and 

 investigating water holes or such natural traps as the miry, sticky tar 

 pits presented. 



The senses and instincts of raccoons, as exhibited by animals in 

 captivity, have been carefully studied and well described by Cole 

 (1912), who concluded that although most of the senses are strongly 

 developed, that of smell is less utilized than the others. His results 

 seem worth quoting at length : 



The most conspicuous behavior of the raccoon seems to be associated with the 

 sense of touch, which is highly developed in the palm of the forepaw and the tip 

 of the nose. During their hours of activity the animals were most often busy in 

 exploring with their paws the floor and objects on the floor of the room in which 

 they were kept. . . . Dark places, as your pocket or a knothole, are explored by 

 touch hundreds of times. . . . Notwithstanding the strength of the raccoon in 

 clinging and climbing", no touch is softer or more gentle than that of his forepaws 

 when engaged in this investigating activity. 



An evidence that the nose is sometimes used for pure touch is the fact that these 

 animals frequently investigated the experimenter's hands, and even his face, with the 

 nose. This also seemed to be an affair of pure curiosity and cjuite breathless. . . . 

 Occasionally they would both touch a strange object with the nose and sniff 

 at it also. . . . 



The raccoon's taste for sweets is especially marked. All other foods were 

 promptly deserted for cane sugar by my animals. . . . My raccoons avoided all 

 food which had a purely sour taste, yet ripe apples and peaches were eaten which 

 have for human taste a slightly acid tang along with the sweet flavor. Unlike 

 herbivorous animals the raccoon refuses to taste salt. . . . 



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