A MISCHIEVOUS NEIGHBOR. 



203 



overbalanced by 

 mice ami iii- 

 stroys-. 



an enemy to farming interests ; what he may happen 

 to steal in the way of corn and chickens is greatly 



the number of 

 sects which he de- 

 His depredations 

 are therefore insignifi- 

 cant compared with 

 the havoc he makes 

 among the homes of 

 creatures injurious to 

 the farm. Beetles, mice, 

 ;iud even rats, he hunts with 

 '"*)>'•"' ceaseless activity during all hours 

 iiiA' of the night, and it is impossible to 

 estimate the extent of his services in this 

 direction. 



But he is omnivorous, like the bear ; he 



feeds on mice, rats, moles, turtles, toads, 



frogs, fish, insects, nuts, fruit,* corn, birds and their 



eggs, and sometimes poultry. He is abroad at all 



hours of the night, and often on cloudy days. 



There is no question about the abundance of life 



The 

 Raccoon. 



* Dr. Abbott tells of a ooon he once saw io a tree whose mouth 

 was apparently reeking with gore, but upon a closer view of the 

 animal and his environment he found that he had been indulging 

 his taste for wild grapes. The tree was draped with the vines, 

 and the coon had liberally helped himself to the ripe fruit, which 

 had stained his jaws red. 



