TROCYON LOTOR. 



93 



do not exercise their cunning for self-preservation; they are not 

 sufficiently suspicious of unusual objects, and are easily taken in 

 almost any kind of a trap. They are not swift runners and if pursued 

 take to a tree and are readily killed. 



They make, when taken young, intelligent and interesting pets, 

 being easily tamed, an;l evincing considerable affection for their 

 master. But they cannot be allowed their liberty, like tame 

 skunks, because of their innate propensity for mischief If not 

 closely watched they will slyly enter the house through some 

 open door or window, and are liable to do considerable damage, for 

 their natural curiosity prompts them to examine everything within 

 reach, and anything out of reach of a 'Coon must be inaccessible 

 indeed. They invariably manifest an insatiate desire to in- 

 vestigate the pantry shelves, and rarely neglect to taste every 

 edible thing that happens to be there. They have a special 

 penchant for sweetmeats and greedily devour preserves, honey, 

 molasses, sugar, pies and cakes; and even bread, butter, lard, milk 

 etc., are by no means disregarded. They remove the covers from 

 jars and pails, and uncork botdes. with as much ease and facility, 

 apparendy, as if they had been instructed in this art from earliest in- 

 fancy. Doors that latch, as they do in most old country houses, 

 are soon opened, even by unsophisticated 'Coons, and it takes them 

 but a short time to acquire the method of opening knob doors. Their 

 fore paws are employed as hands, and can be put to almost as great 

 a variety of uses as those of the monkey — which animal they further 

 resemble in the propensity for mischief-making. 



The Raccoon hibernates during the severest part of the winter, 

 retiring to his nest rather early, and appearing again in February or 

 March, according to the earliness or lateness of the season. Dislik- 

 ing to wade through deep snow he does not come out much till the 

 alternate thawing and freezing of the surface, suggestive of coming 

 spring, makes a crust upon which he can run with ease. He does 

 not usually walk many miles during a single night, and consequendy 



