108 Department of Conservation of Louisiana 



tracted to the family by hearing a whimpering or mewing, 

 something like the cries of kittens. The seven young had 

 been born since the cutting of the log, some two weeks pre- 

 viously, the woodsman said. The litter of young mink, 

 none of which had their eyes open, were taken to the 

 finder's home and fed milk, but two of them died within a 

 day of their discovery. 



The remaining five were taken to the Avoca Island ex- 

 perimental fur farm and given to a common housecat to 

 suckle. The foster mother was very partial to her new 

 family, refusing to go back to her own kittens, and cared 

 for the little creatures of the wild very tenderly. Two of 

 the youngsters engaged in a ferocious fight when being 

 transported to Morgan City and afterwards died. The re- 

 maining three were successfully raised, but afterwards died 

 from causes that were not determined. 



The finding of this family would indicate that the young 

 were born approximately April 5. If the period of gesta- 

 tion is 50 days, this would indicate a mating season about 

 the middle of February. 



The mink is known not only for its bold and courageous 

 demeanor toward other animals, but for its frequent blood- 

 thirsty proclivities. While it hunts and kills mostly for 

 food, still at times it seems to be animated by a desire 

 merely to kill and gratify this lust. It frequently destroys 

 a bird and a smaller animal by severing its throat and, after 

 a sip or two of its victim's blood, leaves it to continue a 

 sanguinary quest for other victims. 



Trailing its prey by scent, the mink destroys mice, rats, 

 chipmunks, squirrels, and even muskrats heavier than it- 

 self. If likes birds' eggs and does considerable damage in 

 this regard to all ground-nesting species. In the water this 

 fur animal pursues and captures fish, snakes and frogs, 

 and varies its diet by eating insects and various kinds of 

 crustaceans and shell fish. 



According to Audubon, who devoted considerable at- 

 tention to mammals during his residence in Louisiana, the 

 mink subsists principally on clapper rails, seaside sparrows, 

 and sharp-tailed sparrows which feed on minute shell fish. 

 The famous naturalist-writer-artist describes the mink 

 "wading stealthily through the grass, pausing to take ob- 



