Paul Bedard, age 10, of St. Paul, Minnesota, for his question:

Do raccoons really wash their food?

Yes they do, and many people have wondered and wondered why they do it. The raccoon, as we know, is just about the most handsome furry mammal in our wild woods. But he has one strange habit that baffles his human friends. He gathers up his food in his dainty little hands, then off he scampers to wash it in the nearest pond or stream. There he squats, dunking and mashing his dinner to a pulp. When his raccoon recipe is properly prepared, he eats it.

Experts are sure that he does not wash his food to get it clean. They thought that perhaps the mashing and dunking makes it easier to chew. But a raccoon has an assortment of very good teeth. Then somebody suggested a more likely explanation. He lives by the water because there he finds frogs and fish, crayfish and his favorite salads. He is used to moist, damp foods and he just happens to like them that way. Most likely he dunks his dinner because he prefers soggy, soupy foods.