NEZ long's menagerie 191 



also, that closely resembled the Fox's who was sitting 

 under the table looking up at him. 



Presently jNIr. Coon came deliberately down to the 

 floor, ambled on all fours to the table with the awkward 

 gait of his big cousin, the Bear, climbed on top and 

 began tasting the various scraps of food that remained, 

 using his fore paws exactly like hands. 



The Fox came from under the table and sat up on 

 the broad bench sniffing anxiously. The Coon paid no 

 attention to him, but picked up a piece of bread, jumped 

 off the table, dipped the bread iji the water pail, ate it, 

 took a scrap of meat, washed it also and then gave it to 

 the Fox, with all the quickness and intelligence of a 

 monkey, and then began washing more bread for him- 

 self. 



The boys could keep quiet no longer. 



" Why does he wash the bread ? " asked Nat aloud. 



At this the Coon retired to his beam, pushing the 

 last bit of bread into his mouth with one paw. 



"Washing their food is a great habit of Raccoons," 

 said Mr. Blake. " I've seen hundreds of them down 

 about the southern lagoons, and they bathe and swim 

 and paddle about the water, poking under stones for 

 crayfish, mussels, and little crabs, half the night. In 

 fact, the last half of the Latin name the Wise Men give 

 them, lotor, refers to this washing habit of theirs. 



"You should see them scampering round by moon- 

 light, like a parcel of monkeys at play. Down they 

 come from the high trees where they have their nest 

 holes, splashing over the lily pads and sliding into the 

 water. They are fond of everything eatable, from crabs 

 to sweet corn, and often fall victims to this love of the 



