grasps
it with both his fore-paws, moving it violently backwards and forwards,
as a person does washing clothes in a stream. The German naturalists
call him the washing-bear. Though savage and bloodthirsty in his wild
state, he is frequently tamed; but he is somewhat capricious in temper,
and not easily reconciled when offended. It is curious that he should,
when domesticated, change his usual custom of sleeping in the daytime
and wandering about at night; but this he does, remaining quiet all
night, and making his appearance among the inmates of the house as soon
as the sun sheds its light abroad. Though in his wild state a fit
member for a temperance society, he will when in captivity, as if to
recompense himself for his hard lot, drink fermented liquors of all
sorts--the stronger and sweeter the better. An old writer on American
animals says, in reference to this propensity, that if taken young it is
easily made tame, but "is the drunkenest creature alive, if he can get
any liquor that is sweet and strong." The same writer states that the
cunning raccoon often catches crabs by inserting one of his feet into
their holes, and dragging them out as soon as they seize hold of it.

THE AGOUAHA, OR CRAB-EATING RACCOON.

In the Southern States we find another species of raccoon, somewhat
larger than the former, who is addicted to eating molluscs and
crustaceans, whether marine or terrestrial. It is said, also, that when
other means fail of obtaining food, he seats himself on a branch hanging
low down over some quiet pool, and using his flexible tail as a
fishing-line, waits patiently till its end is caught hold of by a
snapping turtle or other inhabitant of the water, when, whisking it up,
he tears open the creature's shell and devours the luscious flesh with
aldermanic relish. The fur is generally of a blackish-grey hue, washed
with a tinge of yellow. A blacker tint prevails on the head, neck, and
along the spine. His tail, in proportion to the size of his body, is
shorter than that of the common raccoon, and is marked with six black
rings, upon a blackish-yellow ground.

THE ERMINE.

When we see the judge seated in his richly trimmed robe of ermine--
emblem of purity--or call to mind the regal robes of a proud monarch, we
are apt to forget that the fur which we so much admire is but that of
the detested stoat, turned white during his abode amid the winter's snow
of a northern clime. He is not unlike the weas