THE RACCOON. 



N ACCOUNT of the value of 

 its skin, this interesting 

 animal is much sought after 

 by those who take pride in 

 their skill in securing it. It 

 is commonly known by its abbreviated 

 name of Coon, and as it is of frequent 

 occurrence throughout the United 

 States, every country boy is more or 

 less acquainted with its habits. As an 

 article of food there is much diversity 

 of opinion respecting its merits. It is 

 hunted by some for the sport alone, 

 which is doubtless to be lamented, and 

 by others who enjoy also the pleasure 

 of a palatable stew. As a pet it is also 

 much prized. 



The food of the Raccoon consists in 

 the main of small animals and insects. 

 The succulent Oyster also is a favorite 

 article of its diet. It bites off the 

 hinge of the Oyster and scrapes out the 

 animal in fragments with its paws. 

 Like the Squirrel when eating a nut, 

 the Raccoon usually holds its food 

 between its fore paws pressed together 

 and sits upon its hind quarters when 

 it eats. Poultry is also enjoyed by it, 

 and it is said to be as destructive in 

 the farm yard as tl'.e Fox, as it only 

 devours the heads of the fowl. 



When taken young the Coon is 

 easily tamed, but often becomes blind 

 soon after its capture. This is believed 

 to be produced by the sensitiveness of 

 its eyes, which are intended only to 

 be used by night. As it is frequently 

 awakened by day it suffers so much 

 from the glare of light that its eyes 

 gradually lose their vision. If it must 

 be confined at all it should be in a 

 darkened place. In zoological gardens 

 we have frequently seen several of 

 these animals exposed to the glaring 

 sunlight, the result of ignorance or 

 cruelty, or both. 



Unlike the Fox, the Raccoon is at 

 home in a tree, which is the usual 

 refuge when danger is near, and not 



being very swift of foot, it is well that 

 it posesses this climbing ability. Ac- 

 cording to Hallock, the Coons' abode 

 is generally in a hollow tree, oak or 

 chestnut, and when the ''juvenile farm- 

 er's son comes across a Coon tree^ he 

 is not long in making known his dis- 

 covery to friends and neighbors, who 

 forthwith assemble at the spot to 

 secure it." The "sport '' is in no sense 

 agreeable from a humane point of 

 view, and we trust it will cease to b$ 

 regarded as such by those who indulge 

 in it. "The Raccoon makes a heroic 

 struggle and often puts many of his 

 assailants hors de combat for many a 

 day, his jaws being strong and his 

 claws sharp." 



The young ones are generally from 

 four to eight, pretty little creatures at 

 first and about as large as half-grown 

 Rats. They are very playful, soon 

 become docile and tame, but at the 

 first chance will wander off to the 

 woods and not return. The Coon is a 

 night animal and never travels by day; 

 sometimes it is said, being caught at 

 morning far from its tree and being 

 unable to return thither, it will spend 

 the hours of daylight snugly coiled up 

 among the thickest foliage of some 

 lofty tree-top. It is adroit in its at- 

 tempts to baffle Dogs, and will often 

 enter a brook and travel for some dis- 

 tance in the water, thus puzzling and 

 delaying its pursuers. 



A good sized Raccoon will weigh 

 from fifteen to twenty pounds. 



The curiosity of the Raccoon is one 

 of its most interesting characteristics. 

 It will search every place of possible 

 concealment for food, examine crit- 

 ically any object of interest, will rifle 

 a pocket, stand upright and watch 

 every motion of man or animal, and 

 indeed show a marked desire for all 

 sorts of knowledge. Raccoons are 

 apparently happy in captivity when 

 properly cared for by their keepers. 



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