206 Department of Conservation of Louisiana 



Today, when using the French tongue, the Acadian and 

 Creole trappers of the Louisiana lowlands refer to this 

 animal as a rat musque, but when speaking English call it a 

 "muskrat." In the Delacroix Island section of Louisiana, in 

 St. Bernard and Plaquemines parishes, where Spanish is 

 the tongue that has prevailed for generations, the trappers 

 call this animal rata, which is, of course, merely the Spanish 

 translation of the common and objectionable word rat. 

 Sometimes these Spanish-speaking trappers will call the 

 muskrat rata almizcle, which means "muskrat," but more 

 frequently this expression is contracted to something that 

 sounds like "meeth quin." 



The Life History of the Muskrat 



Designed by nature for an aquatic existence, the musk- 

 rat is clothed with a fur that is dense and waterproof, and 

 it is this provision of nature that has made its pelage valua- 

 ble in the fur marts. It is an excellent swimmer, and is 

 without a peer as a diver, for it is able to remain under 

 water for a remarkably long time without being forced to 

 come to the surface for air. When disturbed and suddenly 

 affrighted, it leaps into the water, and, diving, makes a loud 

 noise by striking its tail against the surface. It is not 

 strange, therefore, that the Indians called the muskrat "a 

 little cousin to the beaver." 



The world-wide and ever-increasing demand for furs, 

 the decrease in the supply throughout the globe, and the 

 discovery that the natural pelage of heretofore inconspicu- 

 ous herbivorous mammals not only equals but often excels 

 the beauty of fur found on meat-eaters, has conspired to 

 raise the value of Louisiana pelts from the 5 cents average 

 of 1914 to the $3.00 valuation quoted by the New York 

 Fur Auction sales of the autumn of 1927. 



While this exceptionally high price was not to be main- 

 tained, it is possible that its brief ocupancy of a niche in 

 the nouveau riche class may bring about a proper, if be- 

 lated, appreciation and recognition of the beauty of this 



