$24 Gereral Notes. [August, 
county, Pa., I found, during one of my excursions along Chester 
creek, a half- grown “coon,” which had snugly tucked itself up in 
the forks of a dead willow that stood on the opposite bank of the 
stream from me. It had its back to me, and desirous not to spoil 
the valuable pelt, I drew off some twenty yards and sent a heavy 
charge of shot into its body ;—such at least was my intent, but, 
judging of results, I did not accomplish it. Beyond a violent 
tw tching of the skin as if to rid itself of a fly or other Be 
pest, there was no counter demonstration on the coon’s part. 
next fusilade was tendered from the creek bank, the long k 
of my weapon reaching within fifteen feet of the animal. 
touch of trigger the results were tremendous, and after taking 
sufficient time to recover lost ground and senses, I realized that 
the concussion had worked both ways, and the coon, thoroughly 
aroused from its day-dream, was now floundering about, growling 
and gurgling in the depths of the creek, Having spent nearly 
a minute in that manner, it rose to the surface and divided its 
efforts there between reaching the bank and tearing the wounds 
in its pret: eins teeth and claws, evincing a most desperate fury 
in every action. After continuing this long enough to have 
drowned the liveliest of cats, it reached the opposite shore, and 
instead of climbing upon it, the maddened creature disappeared 
beneath it, where a strong eddy of the waters washed and swirled 
under the overhanging banks and tree-roots. This suicidal man- 
œuvre seemed so deliberate and intentional that hope of securing 
my game was well nigh gone from me ere it again emerged growl- 
ing and gnashing its teeth as if enraged that it had not found 
death PY. other hands than mine. 
ming fully sated with such an exhibition of brute ferocity 
and self inflicted sufferings, I crossed the creek and succeeded, 
after a ten minutes’ skirmish, in reducing it to perfect harmless- 
ness without other disaster than several desperate nips on the 
toes of my boots, one of which was received after I had sup- 
posed the animal was dead. . 
I refrain from entering into detail of this closing scene further 
than to remark that it so impressed me with the fiendish vitality 
__ of a wounded raccoon, that hereafter similar encounters will be 
carefully avoided.—S. N. Rhoads, Haddonfield, N. F. 
, LIKES AND DIsLIKES OF A DEER.—Mr. Simmons, who owns 
Zt cept as t 
- = this bird ae into the paddock to pay a neighbor ly 
