510 



BIG GAME OF NORTH AMERICA. 



Like the Black Bear, the ' Coon hibernates during the 

 cold storms of winter; but should the weather be open, he 

 will be out every night. 



Their rutting- season is from about the 20th of January 

 to the middle of February, and they bring forth, about the 

 1st of April, from three to six young. 



The Raccoon is easily taken in steel-traps; and to be 

 successful in their capture, the trap should always be set 

 under water, near the edges of swamps or running streams. 

 But the best sport to be had in their capture is to hunt 



RaccC". 



them in the night, with dogs trained for the purpose. The 

 best dog for this sport is the black-and-tan Fox-hound. 



It has been asserted that the 'Coon leaves the least foot- 

 scent of any known animal; but I beg leave to differ from 

 those who make this assertion. He is a night traveler, at a 

 time of the twenty-four hours when the temperature is the 

 lowest; while animals like the Fox, the rabbit, or the Deer, 

 are generally chased during the day, when the temperature 

 is higher. Take a Fox-hound and put him, in the early 

 part of the day, when the teuijDerature is rising, on a ' Coon- 

 trail which was made in the early part of the previous 



