40 THE PESTS OF THE FARM. 



feet and legs is of a dirty whitish color. The * .^ Lie 



upper lip are long and strong. 



All the feet have five toes each, terminated t j strong curved 

 and pointed claws ; and each foot is furnished with five thick and 

 very elastic tubercles beneath. The first toe or thumb of the fore- 

 foot is the shortest of all ; the little or external finger is next in 

 length, and then the fore-finger ; the remaining two are equal. 

 The first tubercle, which is a very strong one, is situated near the 

 wrist ; the second is at the base of the little finger ; the third at 

 the root of the inner finger or thumb ; the fourth opposite the 

 second digit, and the fifth opposite the two longest. The hind feet 

 are throughout similar, except that the first tubercle is farther dis- 

 tant from the heel. 



The pelage of the raccoon is subject to considerable variations 

 of color at different periods of life, and in different individuals. 

 The rings on the tail and the patches around the eyes are, how- 

 ever, uniform and constant. The tail of the raccoon is not affected 

 by the coldest weather; hence this quadruped is never known to 

 gnaw his tail, as has been observed of animals closely allied to it 

 in configuration and habits. 



As the habits of the raccoon are nocturnal he is not easily shot* 

 He may readily be taken by snares and traps. He is frequentl r 

 hunted at night in August and September, during the period of 

 green corn, with dogs. He escapes to a tree, which is cut down, 

 and the dogs seize him as he comes to the ground. 



THE BLACK BEAR. There are three varieties of the Bear 

 in America, viz. : the American or Black Bear, the Grizzly Bear, 

 and the Polar Bear. The Black Bear alone is a pest of the farm. 



This bear is found throughout North America, from the shores 

 of the Arctic Sea to its most southern extremity. 



The black bear, under ordinary circumstances, is not remarkably 

 ferocious, nor is he in the habit of attacking man without provoca- 

 tion. But when wounded, he turns on the aggressor with great 

 fury, and defends himself desperately. This disposition is more 

 fully manifested during the coupling season, because the males are 

 then highly excited, and are not so inert and clumsy as in the 

 autumn, when they are exceedingly fat. 



When the winters are severe at the north, and they find a diffi- 

 culty of procuring food, they travel to the southern regions in 

 considerable bodies. 



The sight and hearing appear to be the most acute of the 



