762. , ` Animal Traits. : [September, 
without the least trepidation, examined it critically, crawled over 
it in all directions, and went through its habitual pantomime for 
all unfamiliar things. 
At times fish and wild game was provided in superabundance, 
and as the refuse went out of the window near the dining table, a 
depot of supplies for the animals of the immediate neighborhood 
was established. The scolding of opossums and raccoons was 
noticed, and at intervals the sharp bark of a fox was heard in the 
night hours, while every scrap of eatable stuff disappeared. Puss 
had often perched herself on the window-sill while this devouring 
of garbage was in progress, but seemed indifferent to what was 
going on. My approach, however guarded, occasioned the 
retreat of the animals, so that I could get no more than a glimpse 
of them. Remembering the dazzling effect of light at night on 
deer, I lowered the reservoir and burner of the lamp to the base, 
and holding it by the ring above, advanced to the window with 
entire success. Putting the lamp on the outside and leaning 
against the sill, a full view of the animals was had not more than 
six feet away. They seemed to think all was not right at first, 
but soon resumed their feeding and quarreling unconcerned, A 
brood of opossums, a couple of raccoons and a fox were on hand. 
The latter continued Suspicious, gazing into my eyes for several 
Seconds, but seemed convinced that there was no danger after the 
_ examination. So long as all movement was behind the light, 
_ everything was serene, but if the hand or a stick were advanced 
an front, panic at once seized the crowd. But where were the 
foxes’ ‘senses of smell and hearing? Were the olfactory and audi- 
tory nerves demoralized, as the optic seemed to be, by the ethe- 
real vibrations from the incandescent body? One would think 
that at six feet distance at least the fox could smell its enemy 1” 
spite of the light. This kind of lamp-light scrutiny was of never 
failing interest. The animals were fresh from the hand of nature 
anc on their native heath. The opossums were particularly in- 
teresting; when several females with their broods were on res: ; 
pere occurred a mixing of families, for the mother which had 
c a bone at once shook off her progeny whil 
ter discarded infants would fasten on the nearest fema 
Sometimes a single mother went about with four families © 
hanging to her. When a fox appeared the encumbered 
once took to the bushes, the others covering her retreat 
f chil- 
e she ate it e 
) le, and — 
ani- 
with 
= ens 
ae Mone ee a 
