The Merrimack River: its source and its tributaries. Embracing a history of manufactures, and of the towns along its course; their geography, topography, and products, with a description of the magnificent natural scenery about its upper waters./ By J. W. Meader.

THE MERPlIMACK RIVEPI;
haunt, was killred in Lee, a monster panther weighing one hundred
and ninety-eight pounds.
Mountain grouse are very plenty and delicious; sable and mink
are profitably trapped, and Canadian otter are frequently taken;
but the fox, that sly, cunning rascal, avoids these solitudes, and is
rarely found far from the habitations of men. Reynard has an
unconquerable appetite for poultry; consequently the rugged cliffs,
and bleak mountains, and desert wastes of this unsettled wilderness
have no charms for him; his tastes run in the direction of open and
cultivated places, where the gospel is preached and chickens are
raised. Thus, Sunday, under that patron of morality, the church,
while people assemble for worship, and under "that patroness of
rogues,"' the moon, when people are at rest, this sly old reprobate
prowls for his prey.
The raccoon, or, as he is commonly called, the coon, abounds in
all the forests, especially the nut-bearing woods, which border the
Merrimack and its branches, and is an animal worthy of some attention. Except in one single particular, he is perfectly harmless, and
that is a decided taste for Indian corn,- at no time, however, except
when it is in the " milk." His depredations are annoying to the
farmer, as his usual practice is to break down an ear, strip the husk
from one side, take a mouthful, and proceed to break down another.
Chestnut, walnut, and oak forests are his usual haunts, these nuts
being his favorite feed; he, however, loves frogs, like a Frenchman,
ad the skilled coon-hunter directs his course to a stream passing
through nut-bearing woods, where the coon expects to luxuriate on
nuts and frogs' legs. He is never hunted in the daytime, being a
nocturnal rambler. The most favorable time for coon-hunting is
regarded by experts as during the October moon, as at that time
the young ones are well grown and fat. Proceedingo to the vicinity
of a stream, the margin of which is the most "likely" place to
'pick up" a fresh track, giving time for the animal to wander
some distance from his den, in a ledge or hollow tree, the hunter
must have a stanch, well-trained coon dog,, or nothing can be accomplishled, as tracks of other animals bewilder an unreliable dog.
Towards nine o'clock the dogs are let out, and if there is a coon in the
vicinity he is soon treed. As many as three are frequently taken,
and sometimes five from a single tree. At this season he is uniformly
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