an American flesh-eating animal. The racoon belongs to a class of animals halfway between the bear and the dog. Early naturalists, in fact, considered the raccoon a sort of bear from the way he walks on the last joint of his legs. The common raccoon is found in timbered regions from Hudson Bay to Louisiana, except where he has been exterminated by settlers. The raccoon is usually spoken of as masculine. He is twenty-six inches long. His tail measures eight inches. He weighs from twenty to twenty-five pounds. His head is round, with a sharp, delicate nose, and a cunning, sly, foxy face. He is considered as cunning as a fox, as meddlesome as a monkey, as greedy as a bear, and as sly as a cat. He has long legs with strong claws, and is famous as a tree climber. The rac-coon is partial to forests on marshy ground or along streams. His favorite food consists of eggs, frogs, mussels, turtles, and any small animal that he can catch. He is addicted to robbing birds' nests whether in trees or along the water's edge like those of the duck or goose. The raccoon is fond of staying in the water--not swimming but paddling. He likes to soak his food before eating. "Coons," although flesh-eaters, are fond of corn and do great damage to cornfields. Hunters go out at night with lanterns, dogs, and guns along the edges of their corn fields. The dogs chase the "coon" out of the fields and tree him, keeping up a loud baying until the hunters come and either chop down the tree so that the dogs can catch the coon, or shoot him as he sits above in the branches. A roasted coon is considered a great delicacy. Coon skins, if taken in the winter season, are much prized for sleigh robes and overcoats. A coon-skin cap is traditional. The pelt of the coon is the only one in the market with black and gray rings around the tail. In northern climates the coon family retires into a hollow tree and sleeps through the winter; but in the south they are active the year around. The nest of a coon is made usually in the hollow of a tree. From four to six young, half the size of a rat, are produced at a time. Coons are easily tamed, and are amusing, but exceedingly troublesome about a house. They are greedy and inquisitive, and must be kept chained. A crab-eating raccoon, with the general habits of the animal we have just described, is found in South America and along our Pacific coast as far north as California. It is fond of fish and sugar-cane.