PROCYON LOTOR. 
93 
do not exercise their cunning for self-preservation; they are not 
sufficiently suspicious of unusual objects, and are easily taken in 
almost any kind of a trap. They are not swift runners and ii pursued 
take to a tree and are readily killed. 
They make, when taken young, intelligent and interesting pets, 
being easily tamed, and evincing considerable affection for their 
master. But they cannot be allowed their liberty, like tame 
skunks, because of their innate propensity for mischief. If not 
closely watched they will slyly enter the house through some 
open door or window, and are liable to do considerable damage, for 
their natural curiosity prompts them to examine everything within 
reach, and anything out of reach of a ’Coon must be inaccessible 
indeed. They invariably manifest an insatiate desire to in- 
vestigate the pantry shelves, and rarely neglect to taste every 
edible thing that happens to be there. They have a special 
penchant for sweetmeats and greedily devour preserves, honey, 
molasses, sugar, pies and cakes; and even bread, butter, lard, milk 
etc., are by no means disregarded. They remove the covers from 
jars and pails, and uncork bottles, with as much ease and facility, 
apparently, as if they had been instructed in this art from earliest in- 
fancy. Doors that latch, as they do in most old country houses, 
are soon opened, even by unsophisticated Coons, and it takes them 
but a short time to acquire the method of opening knob doors. Their 
fore paws are employed as hands, and can be put to almost as great 
a variety of uses as those of the monkey — which animal they further 
resemble in the propensity for mischief-making. 
The Raccoon hibernates during the severest part of the winter, 
retiring to his nest rather early, and appearing again in February or 
March, according to the earliness or lateness of the season. Dislik- 
ing to wade through deep snow he does not come out much till the 
alternate thawing and freezing of the surface, suggestive of coming- 
spring, makes a crust upon which he can run with ease. He does 
not usually walk many miles during a single night, and consequently 
