THE RACCOON. 355 



only descend at night into the yards, enter the hen-roosts 

 and destroy the poultry, especially the Guinea fowls, eat- 

 ing nothing but their heads. His chain did not render him 

 less sanguinary, though it made him more circumspect : 

 he then employed stratagem, allowing the poultry to fa- 

 miliarize themselves with him by partaking of his food ; 

 nor was it until he had induced them to feel in perfect se- 

 curity, that he would seize a fowl and tear it in pieces ; 

 he also killed kittens in the same manner. 



" If the raccoon be not very grateful for favors received, 

 he is singularly sensible of bad treatment ; a servant one 

 day struck him some blows with a stick and often after- 

 wards vainly endeavored to conciliate him, by offering 

 eggs and shrimps, of which the animal was very fond. At 

 the approach of this servant, he became enraged, and with 

 sparkling eyes would spring towards him, making violent 

 outcries ; under such circumstances, he would accept of 

 nothing, until his enemy had withdrawn. The voice of 

 the raccoon, when enraged, is very singular, sometimes 

 resembling the whistling of a curlew, and at others the 

 hoarse barking of an old dog. When struck by any one, 

 or attacked by an animal stronger than himself, he offered 

 no resistance ; like the hedge-hog, he hid his head and 

 paws, by rolling his body in form of a ball, and would 

 have suffered death in that position, I have observed 

 that he never left hay nor straw in his bed, preferring to 

 sleep on the boards ; when litter was given, he threw it 

 away immediately. He did not seem very sensible to cold, 

 and passed two out of three winters exposed to all the 

 rigors of the season, and did well; notwithstanding he was 

 frequently covered with snow. I do not think he was so- 

 licitous to receive warmth ; during some frosts, I gave 

 him separately warm water and water almost frozen, to 

 soak his food in, and he always preferred the latter. He 

 was at liberty to sleep in the stable, but often preferred 

 passing the night in the open yard." 



