YORACITT OF THE RACOON. 219 



especially the great bull-frog. Birds' nests are taxed 

 too, to supply the racoon with food ; and of all birds 

 perhaps the wild turkey suffers most, as she approaches 

 her nest on foot, and is thus easily followed by the 

 keen nose of her enemy, whilst most other birds reach 

 theirs by aid of their mngs, and thus leave no traces in 

 the air. But even with this advantage the birds are 

 not safe, for the racoon hunts out their nests amongst 

 the branches of the trees. 



The racoon is a favourite dish amongst the negroes 

 and a few rough backwoodsmen, though it is not nearly 

 so much esteemed as a fat opossum. I have twice, 

 when out of ammunition and many a mile from ' any- 

 where,' caught a racoon and tried to eat some of it, 

 but I never could manage more than a morsel or two, 

 and I must be far hungrier than I ever yet was to make 

 a meal of one. I would almost as soon try to eat a fox. 



Although on the prowl during the greater part of the 

 night, it may often be seen in the daytime also. I 

 was once ' still-hunting,' or stalking deer, in the forest 

 on the San Bernard river in Texas, when I saw a 

 racoon upon the ground about forty yards from me. 

 Expecting to get a shot at deer every minute, I should 

 not have wasted a charge from my rifle upon it, but as 

 soon as it saw me, it came forward, showing its teeth, 

 and bristling up its fur, evidently bent upon giving me 

 a ' fight or a footrace.' As soon as I became fully 

 satisfied of its intentions, I shot it. 



