FURRY FRIENDS WITH FINE SKINS. 



119 



never failing at the end to secure his prey. He is, 

 in fact, the expert climber of the family to which he 

 belongs. In a race with the raccoon the latter's 

 heels are not lively enough to save his hide ; the 

 poor coon has not a ghost of a chance. I copy what 



" He spends a great deal of 

 his time exploring the 

 trees for his prey." 



Mr. Peter Eeid, of Washington Coimty, New York, 

 has said long years ago on that point : " While hunt- 

 ing early one winter I found the carcass of a freshly 

 killed sheep, and by the tracks around it in the light 

 snow perceived that a fisher had surprised a raccoon 

 at the feast. A hard chase had ensued, the raccoon 

 tacking at full speed to avoid his pursuer, the fisher 

 outrunning and continually confronting his intended 



