Mink 



Range. Northern parts of North America, south in the Allegha- 

 nies to Pennsylvania and probably to North Carolina. In 

 the lowlands to Florida the minks belong to slightly differ- 

 ent varieties. 



The mink is endowed with boundless resources in the face 

 of danger as well as in the matter of getting a living. Wander 

 where he will day or night, it is of small consequence whether 

 the enemy that attacks him is fox, dog, wildcat, otter or owl, 

 he is always within a couple of jumps of some place of refuge. 

 If the water is near, he dives without a splash, and darts away 

 like a fish, almost as much at home as the fish themselves in 

 the swirling depths of the eddies and dim passages beneath 

 sunken logs and drift-wood, only coming to the surface here and 

 there for a breath until the enemy is left hopelessly behind. 



When the water is not within reach, he can go up the 

 nearest tree like a squirrel, or dart into any hole or crevice that 

 would hide a rat; and lacking this, can out-run and out-dodge 

 any ordinary pursuer: for, though short of leg, his body is long, 

 and so supple that he uses the entire length of his spine in 

 running, doubling himself into the form of a hoop and straight- 

 ening out again at every jump with incredible swiftness. 



I have seen him show such speed on numerous occasions 

 that I have little doubt that the swiftest hawk or fox would 

 have to do his very best and be lucky in the bargain in 

 order to catch him. As a last resort he can fight, as many an in- 

 cautious creatuie several times his size has learned to its cost. 



Referring to the mink's faculty for hiding anywhere they 

 may chance to be, I have seen them disappear instantly among 

 the dry oak leaves that carpet the open where hardwood grows, 

 and they will do the same thing in short thin grass or shallow 

 snow with a suddenness that leaves the beholder wondering. 

 At such times, if they deign to show themselves again, it will 

 in all probability be several rods at least from where they dis- 

 appeared, and then perhaps only for the briefest glimpse. 



Only yesterday I was sitting beneath a sheltered bank, 

 warmed by the thin sunlight of late November and well out of 

 the reach of the roaring north wind, when I heard a rustling 

 among the leaves eight or ten rods away. Looking toward the 

 sound, I saw, just for an instant, a beautiful little female mink 

 with the sun full on her back, then saw only the russet coloured 



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