IN THE FAR WEST. 377 



CHAPTER XVII. 



THE RACCOON, OPOSSUM AND SQUIRREL FAMILIES. 



The raccoon, opossum and squirrel families Number of species How 

 hunted Two negroes and a coon stew Best way of shooting squirrels. 



AMONG the smaller game which often afford pleasant sport to 

 the lovers of the gun are the above animals, especially when 

 pursued with dogs, as they frequently give one an exciting 

 run, and the coon struggles bravely against its canine foes 

 when captured. The first two are hunted principally at night, 

 as they are nocturnal in habits, and are generally killed amid 

 the leafy retreats of trees and shrubbery, where they take 

 refuge. I have seen coon-hunts which were scenes of excite- 

 ment and laughter, and which produced more ludicrous situa- 

 tions and mirth-provoking incidents than any other sort of 

 sport I ever witnessed. 



There are two species of raccoon in the West, the Procyon 

 lotor, and the Mexican or black-footed raccoon (Procyon 

 hernandezii), which is found in the regions bordering the Pacific 

 Ocean, from British Columbia to Mexico. Both are alike- 

 in general character, being cunning thieves, nimble tree clim- 

 bers, and one of the most inquisitive, restless, and mischievous 

 of pets when domesticated. Nothing is safe from them if they 

 break loose in a house, and they try to devour everything they 

 can find, from stale bread to hair-oil. They are as bad as 

 monkeys, but they differ from the latter in the fact that they 

 will obey no order unless it is accompanied by force. 



Adult males weigh from fifteen to twenty pounds, and when 

 cornered they not only light bravely, but often wound several ot 

 their assailants, for their jaws are large and powerful, aiul 

 their claws are sharp and curved. 



