THE AGOUARA, OR CRAB-EATER. 



they very unceremoniously closed upon him, curs as they were, and without the breed- 

 ing of gentle dogs. One seized him by the rump, and tugged, but was soon forced to 

 let go ; another stuck to his side, but soon taking a better directed bite of his muzzk 

 than another dog had just of his tail,' Coon made him yelp; and pitiful were the cries' 

 of luckless tyke. 



The Racoon would not let go, but in the meantime the other dogs seized him fast, 

 and worried him to death, yet to the last he held by his antagonist's snout. Knocked 

 on the head by an axe, he lay gasping his last breath, and the heaving of his chest was 

 painful to see. The hunters stood gazing at him in the pool, while all around was by 

 the flare of the torch rendered trebly dark and dismal. It was a good scene for a skil- 

 ful painter." 



In size, the Racoon equals a small fox, to which animal it bears a slight external 

 resemblance. The number of its young is usually two or three, and they make their 

 appearance in the month of May. 



THE AGOURA, OR CRAB-EATER.-Prcc^o/i Caaorlvorus. 



THE AGOUARA, or CRAB-EATING RACOON, is a native of a warmer portion of America 

 than the common Racoon, and has derived its name of Crab-eater from its habit of 

 feeding on all kinds of crustaceas and molluscs, whether marine or terrestrial, although 

 perhaps it is not more addicted to cancricide than the animal which has just been 

 described. In size it is larger than the common Racoon, and its color is not quite the 

 same. 



The tail is short in proportion to the body and is marked with six black rings upon a 

 grayish or blackish-yellow ground. The fur of the body is rather variable in different 

 individuals, but is generally composed of a blackish-gray washed with a tinge of yellow, 

 the darker and the lighter tints predominating on different parts of the body and limbs. 

 On the head, neck, and along the spine, the black tinge prevails, while the rest of the 

 body and the sides of the neck are almost wholly of the yellowish-gray hue. A very 

 dark brown patch incloses each eye, and, passing backwards almost to the ears, is 

 merged into a dark spot on the crown of the head. The Racoon has been mentioned 

 by several travellers under different names, such as Raton, Mapach, Agouarapope', 

 Yllanraton, Maxile, Wash-Bar, and Cioutlamacasque. 



THE animal which compose the curious genus that is known by the name of Narica, 

 are easily recognized on account of the singular length of the nose, which is prolonged so 



