Raccoon 



pend largely upon strategy to accomplish their ends. Fish is 

 probably not a very steady article of diet with them at any 

 season, for, though good swimmers and not at all averse to 

 entering the water, they lack both the skill and the suppleness 

 of the mink and otter which would enable them to plunge in 

 boldly and seize their prey with their teeth. 



From the accounts of numerous eye-witnesses it would ap- 

 pear to be a pretty regular practice with them to lie in wait 

 at the edge of the water and hook out any fish that comes 

 within reach by a smart stroke of the fore paw with claws 

 extended. 



Being night wanderers, they undoubtedly often manage to 

 surprise sleeping birds, both on the ground and among the 

 branches, as it is a common custom with them in thick woods 

 to travel for long distances among the tree-tops without once 

 descending to earth, robbing the nests of birds and squirrels on 

 the way. 



Try to imagine the terror of a family of squirrels, sleeping 

 snuggled up together within their thick walls, at having this 

 great shaggy monster come scrambling along the branches at 

 midnight and proceed to tear their roof to pieces above their 

 heads, compelling them to scatter as best they may, blind as 

 humans in the darkness, and wholly at a disadvantage against 

 this night-seeing enemy. 



On the ground the raccoon prowls about wet places from 

 choice, along the borders of swamps and brooksides, following 

 the paths made by sheep and cattle where they go down to 

 drink. Every fallen tree on his path tempts him to mount and 

 run along it to the other end, this habit being so universal 

 with the raccoon family that coon-trapping is often successfully 

 followed by simply setting steel traps on prostrate logs without 

 any bait or other inducement whatever, though occasionally a 

 piece of tin or other shining metal is hung just over the trap 

 to attract his attention in the moonlight, the coon's curiosity 

 being proverbial. It is said that on discovering anything of the 

 kind one will amuse himself for hours sitting upright and strik- 

 ing it with his paws to make it whirl and spin in the air. 



His thick fur enables him, like the bears, to rifle bee trees 

 in comparative safety, and to dig bumblebees' and hornets' nests 

 out of the turf. 



