THE RACCOON. 



lapping and fuction. Whatever is prefented, it eats; and if left at large, 

 carefully examines every corner, and feems to feaft indifcriminately on 

 whatever it finds; whether flefh, raw or boiled, eggs, fruit, corn, infects, 

 fnails, or worms, all feem equally acceptable to its general appetite. When 

 inhabiting places near the fea, it mews a great predilection for oyfters, which 

 it opens with much addrefs, by placing them under its hinder paws, and 

 fearching with the fore feet for the weaken: part, where it fixes its claws, 

 forces the fhells afunder, and devours every morfel of the filh. The whole 

 of this operation is performed without once looking at the oyfter. Among 

 other partialities, it is paflionately fond of things that are fweet, and flrong 

 liquors, of which it will drink till completely intoxicated. PolTelTed of 

 the fubtilty of the Fox, it ipreads, like him, deftruction among the poultry; 

 neverthelefs, it is good-natured and fportive, always in motion, very 

 inquilitive, and examines every thing with its paws. In Ihort, the Raccoon 

 is an active and nimble animal, and, although it bounds in an oblique 

 direction, yet it runs with great fwiftnefs; climbs trees with much activity; 

 runs on their trunks as rapidly as on plain ground; and plays at the extremity 

 of the branches with the greateft fecurity and eafe. 



Thefe animals inhabit the fouthern parts of America, and are very 

 numerous on the Ifland of Jamaica, where they are very deftructive to the 

 fugar canes; and, though various means are ufed to extirpate them, they 

 breed fo faft, that they have hitherto been found ineffectual. 



The fur of the Raccoon is held in eftimation next to that of the Beaver, 

 for the fabrication of hats. 



