The Fur Animals of Louisiana 255 



"In no instance did I note a muskrat nest in these canal 

 bank burrows. A female skunk heavy with young was un- 

 earthed from an enlarged passageway which she had lined 

 with grass. A litter of young muskrats of about the size of 

 meadow mice were dug out, however, by another crew 

 whose operations I did not witness. They were killed and 

 the canal bank rebuilt before I learned of their discovery." 



Muskrat Houses 



Muskrat houses, or "hills," as they are sometimes called, 

 are characteristic of the Louisiana coastal marsh. During 

 some seasons these fur animals are more energetic in build- 

 ing than in others. Just why this is is not? satisfactorily 

 fathomed. Some experienced trappers and observers be- 

 lieve that the severity or mildness of the winter has some- 

 thing to do with housebuilding activities, but this does not 

 check out, and it is evident that more study to this phase of 

 the muskrat' s life must be given. 



As shown in the accompanying illustration of a typical 

 house, these domiciles are built out of marsh vegetation and 

 of a number of species of grass, usually of the predomi- 

 nant flora in the habitat — three-cornered grass, cattail, bul- 

 rush, roseau, paille fine, needle grass, paille chat tigre, saw 

 grass, et cetera, are utilized, the animal seemingly having 

 no marked preference for any one kind. 



These houses rise to a height of several feet, usually 

 from two to four feet high, with a basal diameter of four 

 to six feet, and sometimes even 10 feet. The entrance is 

 always below the surface of the ground. If the house is 

 built in a low spot and surrounded by water, these tunnels 

 are filled with water and the animal is forced to swim 

 through its aqueous subway to gain admittance to the in- 

 terior of its domicile. These tunnels are usually many feet 

 in length and the entrance is termed a "dive hole." In 

 some instances the dive hole is close to the base of the house. 

 There are more than one such entrances to the house, some- 

 times as many as five or six, and the tunnels are of varying 

 length, radiating from the house like the spokes of a wheel. 



