428 



ACCOUNT OF ANIMALS, 



son in whistling. They are about the size of a 

 badger, are covered with a beautiful long silver 

 grey hair, and have long bushy tails. They bur- 

 row in the sides of the mountain, and feed ort 

 roots and herbs. Their flesh is very delicious 

 food. They generally produce two young at a 

 time ; and sit upon their hind feet when they 

 give them suck. The skins of these animals are 

 very useful to the Natives, for clothing. They 

 dress them, with the hair on; and sew a suffi- 

 cient number of them together, to make a gar- 

 ment, as large as a blanket, which they wrap 

 around their bodies. 



The racoon is an animal never found farther 

 north, than about latitude forty eight. It is con- 

 siderably smaller than a beaver, with legs and 

 feet resembling this animal. The legs are short 

 in proportion to the body, which is like that of a 

 badger. It has a head like that of a fox ; but 

 with ears shorter, rounder, and more naked. The 

 hair is thick, long, soft and black at the ends, like 

 that of a fox. On the face there is a broad stripe, 

 that runs across it, which includes the eyes, which 

 are large. The tail is long and round, with annu- 

 lar stripes upon it, like those of a cat. The feet 

 have five slender toes, armed with sharp claws, 

 by which it is enabled to climb trees. It feeds 

 itself with its fore feet, as with hands. The flesh 



