Mammal Study 221 



It is called musk- 

 rat because of the 

 odor, somewhat re- 

 sembling musk, 

 which it exhales 

 from two glands on 

 the lower side of 

 the body between 

 the hind legs; these 

 glands may be seen 

 when the skin is 

 removed, which is 

 the too common 

 plight of this poor 

 creature, since it 

 is hunted merci- 

 lessly for its pelt. 



The little musk- 

 rats are born in 

 April and there are 

 usually from six to 

 eight in a litter. 

 Another litter may 

 be produced in 

 June or July and 

 a third in August 

 or September. It is 

 only thus, by rear- 

 ing large families 

 often, that the 

 muskrats are able 

 to hold their own 

 against the hunters 

 and trappers and 

 their natural ene- 

 mies. 

 A Watcher in the 



Wood's, Sharp; Wild Life, Ingersoll, Farmers' Bulletin No. 396, U. S. 



Dept. of Agriculture. 



The muskrat. 



Photo by Silas Lottridge. 



References Wild Animals, Stone & Cram; 



LESSON LIV 



THE MUSKRAT 



Leading thought The muskrat, while a true rodent, is fitted for life 

 in the water more than for life upon the land. Its hind feet are webbed 

 for use as oars and its tail is used as a rudder. It builds lodges of mud, 

 cat-tails and rushes in which it spends the winter. 



Method It might be well to begin this work by asking for observations 

 on the tracks of the muskrat which may be found about the edges of 

 almost any creek, pond or marsh. If there are muskrat lodges in the 

 region they should be visited and described. For studying the muskrat's 

 form a live muskrat in captivity is almost necessary. If one is trapped 



