92 
MAMMALIA. 
and devour the hapless fish that chance to get detained in any of the 
little pools along shore; but are unable to dive and pursue their prey 
under water, like the Otter and Mink. They are good swimmers 
and do not hesitate to cross rivers that lie in their path. 
Although excellent climbers, making their nests in a hollow, high 
up in some large tree, they cannot be said to be arboreal in 
habits. They do not pursue their prey amongst the tree tops, alter 
the manner of the martens, nor make a practice of gathering nuts 
from the branches, like squirrels; nor do they, like the porcupine, 
browse upon the green foliage. Trees constitute the homes in which 
they rest and bring forth their young, and to which they retreat 
when pursued by man or beast; but their business is transacted else- 
where. At nightfall they descend to the ground to prowl through 
groves, fields, and swamps, and follow streams and lake shores in 
search of food. 
Their fondness for fresh corn has brought many a luckless 'Coon 
to an untimely end, for “ ’Coon hunting, by the light of the harvest 
moon,” has long been a favorite sport. The method of procedure is 
simple : several men, with dogs, meet together, generally about mid- 
night, near some maize field which is known to be frequented by 
these animals. If a Raccoon happens to be present he is soon treed 
by the dogs, and is either shot, or the tree upon which he hides is 
felled and he is destroyed by the dogs. An old Coon is a tough 
match for an average dog, and many a plucky cur bears lasting 
scars of their sharp teeth. The Coon first invades the corn fields 
while the tender kernels, not yet full grown, consist of a soft 
milky pulp, and he continues to feast upon the maize till fully 
ripe, and even after it is cut and stacked. He is very expert in 
breaking down the stalks and stripping the husks from the ear, 
using his fore-paws as we do our hands. 
Raccoons are clever beasts, and in certain directions their cun- 
ning surpasses that of the fox. The familiar epithet, “ a sly 
’Coon,” owes its origin to certain of their proclivities. Still they 
