THE RACOON. 17 



noise, it plunges into the stream. They are greatly sought alter by 

 the natives, as their flesh is considered as a delicacy, and thought bf 

 sonic not inferior to beef 



CHAPTER XII. 



THE RACOON. 



THE Racoon, which some authors have called the Jamaica rat, is 

 about the size of a small badger ; its body is short and bulky ; its fur 

 is fine, long, and thick, blackish at the surface, and gray towards the 

 bottom ; the nose is rather shorter, and more pointed than that of a 

 fox ; the eyes large and yellow, the teeth resembling those of a dog, 

 the tail thick, but tapering towards a point, regularly marked with 

 rings of black, and at least as long as the body ; the fore-feet are 

 much shorter than the hinder, both armed with five sharp claws, with 

 which, and its teeth, the animal makes a vigorous resistance. Like 

 the squirrel, it makes use of its paws to hold its food while eating, 

 but it differs from the monkey kind, which use but one hand on those 

 occasions, whereas the racoon and the squirrel use both ; as, wanting 

 the thumb, their paws singly are unfit for grasping or holding. Though 

 this animal be short and bulky, it is however very active ; its pointed 

 claws enable it to climb trees with great facility.; it runs on the trunk 

 with the same swiftness that it moves upon the plain, and sports among 

 the most extreme branches with great agility, security, and ease ; it 

 moves forward chiefly by bounding, and though it proceeds in an ob- 

 lique direction, it has speed enough most frequently to escape its 

 pursuers. 



This animal is a native of the southern parts of America, nor have 

 any travellers mentioned its being found in the Ancient Continent. 

 But in the climates of which it is a native, it is found in noxious 

 abundance, particularly in Jamaica, where it keeps in the mountains, 

 and where it often descends to feed upon the plantations of sugar-cane. 

 The planters of these climates consider these animals as one of their 

 greatest miseries; they have contrived various methods of destroying 

 them, yet still they propagate in such numbers that neither traps no<- 

 fire-arms can set them free ; so that a swarm of these famished crea- 

 tures are found to do more injury in a single night, than the labours 

 of a month can repair. 



But though, when wild, they are thus troublesome, in a state of 

 lameness no animal is more harmless or amusing ; they are capable 

 of being instructed in various little amusing tricks. The racoon is 

 playful and cleanly, and is very easily supported ; it eats of every- 

 thing that is given it, and, if left to itself, no cat can bo a better pro- 

 rder ; it examines every corner, eats of all flesh, either boi\ed or raw, 



