YARNS ABOUT COONS. 231 



iu his paws till they were dead, then threw 

 them to one side. When all were finished he 

 with great gusto devoured the honey. Tadpoles 

 placed in a pan of water he went after with 

 such vim as to splash all the water from the 

 vessel. 



M., who has hunted coons for many years, 

 says that oftentimes they cling so fast that one 

 cannot shake them from the tree. By getting 

 them on a slender limb which can be swung to 

 and fro, each swing gaining in velocity, and 

 then suddenly letting go or stopping the swing, 

 the coon will be torn loose from his hold and 

 sent far out into space where the dogs below are 

 waiting for him. 



When I went to dinner I placed my big gog- 

 gle-eye in the boat. On returning to camp I 

 noted that he was half stunned and had a raw 

 spot or two on his back. A green heron had 

 tried to "bill" him said M., but found him too 

 large and active to carry away. Thus ever doth 

 the struggle continue. From turtles, snakes, 

 minks and even shitepokes doth the fisherman 

 have to guard the catch after they are his. 



The rain over, the sun shines forth in regal 

 splendor. Across and through the sea of blue 

 into which I gaze a bird flaps and soars, then 

 flaps and soars again. Far up it is, yet I catch 

 a glimpse of a white spot on the duller gray of 

 its sooty wing and know it for the "night- 



