THE RACOON. 
333 
hairs are alternately marked with black and grayish white. Upon the top of the head and 
across the eyes the fur is of a very dark blackish brown ; and upon the knee-joint of each leg 
the fur is of a darker tint than on the rest of the body. The tail is rather short and bushy in 
character, and is marked with five, or sometimes six blackish rings upon a ground of dark 
gray. In the British Museum is preserved a specimen of the Racoon, which is entirely white, 
its fur being of as pure a whiteness as that of the ermine itself. 
In its gait and general carriage is visible an admixture of the plantigrade with the 
digitigrade ; for when it stands or sits it plants the entire sole of its foot upon the ground, but 
when it runs in haste it only touches the earth with the tips of its toes. Generally, it is 
nocturnal in its habits, passing the whole of the daytime in sleep, snugly curled up in the warm 
blanket of its own rich fur, and slumbering heavily with its head sunk between its hinder limbs. 
As is indicated by the peculiar 
nature of its teeth, the Racoon is 
capable of feeding on animal or 
vegetable food, but seems to prefer 
the latter. Indeed, there seem to 
be few things which the Racoon will 
not eat. One of these animals ate a 
piece of cedar pencil which it 
snatched out of my hand, and tried 
very hard to eat the envelope of a 
letter on which I was making notes. 
Not succeeding in the attempt, it 
consoled itself by tearing the paper 
into minute morsels, employing 
teeth and paws in the attempt. It 
did its best to get a ring off my 
finger, by hitching one of its crooked 
claws into the ring and pulling with 
all its strength, which was very 
considerable in proportion to the 
size of the animal. Its brown eyes 
lighted up with animation when 
engaged in play, and it was very 
fond of pushing its paw through 
the bars of its cage, in order to 
attract attention. 
A Racoon that was kept in a 
barrack-yard in Canada, in com- 
pany with a bear, an owl, and 
various finned and feathered crea- 
tures, was considered to be the most racoon .— Procyon lotor. 
interesting of all the little menagerie. It was extremely tame, but could not be trusted near 
poultry, as it had a bad habit of pouncing suddenly upon them, grasping them in its hand-like 
paws, and biting off their heads in a moment. It would then devour the head and afterwards 
the body in a leisurely manner. There were many bats in the neighborhood, and the soldiers 
were in the habit of capturing those nocturnal depredators, and throwing them on the ground 
within reach of the Racoon’s chain. Before the bat could flap its wings, the Racoon would 
leap upon it, roll it rapidly in its paws for a while, and then despatch it with a single bite. 
It was rather a vengeful animal, and possessed of a tenacious memory for an insult. The 
great owl that was partaker of the same residence had one day been irritated with the Racoon 
and had pecked it on the back. The Racoon treasured the insult in its heart, and waited a 
favorable time for revenge. The opportunity was not long delayed, for on the first occasion 
that the owl ventured within reach of the Racoon’s chain, the aggrieved animal crept slyly 
towards its foe, and adroitly snatched out all the feathers of the owl’s tail. 
