288 Modern Fishculture in Fresh and Salt Water. 



left for the last, but it is not least. The Germans call 

 this animal the "wash bear," from its habit of washing 

 things before it eats them. As the coon is omnivorous 

 it may be questioned if it washes birds; and I know 

 that it does not wash green corn, the "roastin' ear" of 

 the South. The old darkey song says : 



"Ole Mistah Coon's a mighty man, i 



He carry a bushy tail; 

 He steal ole massa's cawn at night, 



An' he husks it awn de rail. 



"De squirrel hab a bushy tail, 



An' stumpy grows de hair; 

 De ole coon's tail am ringed all 'roun'. 



An' de possum's tail am bare." 



Here is a condensed natural history, and such simple 

 songs made negro minstrelsy popular forty years ago, 

 but what they sing to-day is characterless. 



Next to the fox, if not before it, the coon ranks in 

 cuteness. I saw one wade in on a riffle and go up 

 stream, turning a stone with one forepaw and grab- 

 bing any fish or crayfish which might dart out with the 

 other. It was in the summer, when the streams were 

 low in Louisiana, and I had been fishing, but at that 

 time was sitting on a log taking a bite at noon. A 

 bunch willow concealed all but my head, and when the 

 coon came in sight I suspended mastication and tried 

 to suppress breathing, for a fellow may be out for 

 years and not get a chance to see a wild animal search 

 for its food as if it was unobserved. There was no 

 desire to kill the coon, for it was midsummer, and 

 neither flesh nor skin were good ; and then I'm that sort 

 of fellow that, when not pressed for meat, would spend 

 half a day to see a chipmunk dig its hole, and think the 

 time well spent. 



