The daily morning journal and courier., 1902-08-23
YOUNG RACcoONs.
fcontinned from Fourth Page.l

Continued from Fourth Page) it. When they were hungry it was in- teresting to see how much it took to disconcert them. They would drink standing on four legs or two. sitting on their launches, lying on their sides, on their backs, and if the bottle was in- verted and held high in the air, they would cling to 1t with their fore paws and continue sucking at the nipple as though nothing unusual were the mat ter. But with all their elf-pOssession, they took the liveliest interest in every new thing which came within sight or hearing. No matter how hungry they were, the slightest unusual movement or sound was enough to cause them to prick up their ears, and roll their eyes towards the point of interest. If they could not satisfy themselves that it was all right, they would stop drinking and run away to hide. As they grew
 older they became more nervous ana more easily alarmed, and would stop
 feeding on much slighter provocation. | If the imagined danger was at some | distance they would run away, but 1T 1t
 was close upon them, they faced the
 music. For example, if a stranger sud- denly entered the room they would turn and face him with muzzle lowered to l the ground, ears laid close to the head | back arched and hair erectt m this attitude they executed a sort of rocking
 dance, the tendency being to move
 backward out of danger. At such times they usually exhaled with consid- I I1feCSf1r GnIInn-
 When lying down, contented, they
 purred like cats but much louder.
 While they were still quite small, l
 wished to see if they inherited the fam 1 fly instinct to wash their food; so l
 gave. them some crackers and a two | quart tin pail of water. They ignored the cracker, but those nearest the pail at once arose on their hind legs, plunged their arms into the water up to the shoulders, and moved their paws as though feeling for something. then put the crackers into the water, where upon the little fellows went after them
 fished them out and partially ate them.
 While eating they held up the food III
 both front paws, and chewed it with the
 head on one side, just as old raccoons do. On several occasions they showed their inclination for animal food; once
 by running off with dead sparrow in
 tended for a hawk and again by steal ing some raw beef. Of the latter one
 of them ate a small piece about the size
 of a walnut, and as she was not used to
 it, it made her ill for several hours.
 In the main they are good natured, l oIl tnoIT GnTnfPh one
 great deal unintentionally with thelr
 sharp claws, but if they are seized
 roughly or suddenly they will turn and
 bite the offending hand severely. The first time one bit me, gave him a
 slight cuff. to impress him with the fact
 that he was doing wrong. A puppy
 would have understood the act at once'
 but the little scoon did not, and bit me
 again as quick as wink. I cuffed him harder and harded, receiving bite after bite in return, and I soon became aware
 that instruction could not be imparted , to young raccoons in that way.
 < They are extremely inquistive little fellows, and poke their long noses into r everything, often upsetting pasKets bowls and pitchers in their efforts tc f examine the contents. One of them at' tempted to gratify his curiosity con corning sticky fly paper, and it will DC
 same time before he forgets all ht
 learned on that occasion. He began by
 snifing it, and when it stuck to his nost
 he tried to remove it with his from ' paws. He succeeded, but alas he nac
 paid dearly for success. He nov { brought his hind feet to the relief O. his front ones, but to save his life h' g could not release more than one foot a l, a time. Then he attempted to remove the treacherous paper with his mouth : but it stuck to his head, and suddel 2 switch of his tail, put that member ou of commission as well. By this time h 7 was frantic, and rolled violently apou l. the room. snarling and splitting ant a might have been doing so yet had not l. friendly hand come to his assistance F Just to show him sheet of fiy-paper |. enough to make him arch his back ant :, erect every hair on his body.
 h ERNEST HAROLD BAYNES.