Evening star., 1947-11-05
This and That
By Charles Z. TraceWeH
"TAKOMA PARK, Nd

Dear Sir:
Some time ago saw you had letter from
some one who declared raccoons do not wash
their food. don't know whether you answered
own experience know that they almost always
do.
II do not believe the raccoons do this from
any sanitary sense however. Surely an animal
can have no knowledge of the dangers of germ
life. The human ideas of sanitation are utterly
unknown in the life Of all four-legged creatures
IF the raccoon washes his food, 1t must be
because it pleases him to wash his food, and
this action may come about solely from
instinct that is, lines of raccoons that washed
their food survived, whereas those that did
not succumbed, over the centuries. But what
ever the reason, the creatures Of today are in
utter ignorance of sanitation.
IF we speak of the careful raccoon,' as I
read somewhere, it is rather silly, because
the animal has no idea at all Of being careful.
1T merely washes food because 1t has seen
its mother and father wash food at least that
Is my idea, and can't figure out anything
different.
II have had many raccoons /as pets, in my
rather long lifetime-and I hope 1t will be
longer, because I want to see what on earth
is going to happen to the nations Of the world
before I pass on
Something terrible is happening now to
the races of human beings, and would like
to be present when everything Is settled, that
is, If 1t ever is.
s'The raccoons will still be in there washing
their food, am sure, at the last trump.
These small animals are fine pets, and more
city people should try them, at least for q
time. They would come to have q greater ap-
probation of the forest people, believe, In
stead Of shouting down the phone for the police
the moment a stranger appears in the back
yard. I think 1t shameful for police officers
a shoot Sl1ch harmless wanderArN
II am sure that your discussions from time
to time of the wilder creatures, as well as the
tanner birds and squirrels and rabbits and cats,
will do q great deal of good.
yours sincerely, g. H. p"
BETHESDA, Md.
Dear Sir:
IT was too thrilled the other evening to see
q real live opossum in my garden!
"It was fishing in my goldfish pool, and
believe it got one, but 7 didn't mind asNthis
is the first time such bit of real wildlife has
honored me.
pretty tough on the goldfish though
This was good big one, with such a long
snout 1 had forgotten. If ever knew, that
these heasties have SUCH long noses.
There was something very appealing about
the animal. I managed to get q really good
view of him through my bird binoculars, and
the eyes were beautiful. Sincerely, G. L."
X * 4
Washington suburban areas would always
have such garden visitants If every one would
manage to get the attitude Of these readers
Surely there is enough death and destruction
In the world without any one clamoring for the
lives of such innocents
It is true that all wildlife will make what
humans call depredations Such actions are q
part of their lives, and they are not carrying
them out through willful malice.
II the modern idea claims illness for much
human wickedness, rather than misdirected
free will, it must be true that no one has any
moral right to brand q small animal as an
evil-doer just because 1t happens to wander
into cultivated garden.
The better attitude would be to look upon
the intrusion as affording an excellent chance
to observe something comparatively rare in
the individual life. Most city and suburban
residents Of today have had little opportunity to
study such creatures. Killing them Is scarcely
to be thought of as study. Wild animals will
do little If any harm In modern garden.
And one thing Is sure. They WIN not stay very
long. Let them enjoy hfs while thsy may.