The Fur Animals of Louisiana 207 



subtropical fur in its natural state and assist the animal in 

 living down the ratty termination of its popular name. 



The rapid and alarming extermination of the rarer fur 

 animals, especially those species which must give way be- 

 fore the advent of man and the changes he has wrought 

 in the settlement of the country, means the heretofore in- 

 conspicuous muskrat has become the most important fur 

 animal of the New World, if not the Universe itself, and 

 it has been aptly described as "the short and simple animal 

 of the poor." 



Although its numbers have been depleted in certain sec- 

 tions of this country and Canada — in some places to an 

 alarming extent — the muskrat lends itself, under the pro- 

 tection of the proper state laws, sane and conservative trap- 

 ping operations, honest and economic handling of the pelts 

 by the raw pelt dealers or middlemen, to the development 

 of a great industry through the utilization of virgin marsh 

 lands for the natural rearing of this fur animal. Such 

 marsh utilization will mean the immediate estoppel of ill- 

 considered drainage of lands for "development schemes." 

 A comprehensive investigation into this animal's life his- 

 tory in the various parts of its range is needed so the musk- 

 rat may furnish a constant supply of choice fur, add to 

 the creature comforts and styles of our womenkind, and 

 become an important factor in the wealth of our state and 

 country for generations to come. 



The muskrat is known to be a prolific breeder when 

 food and water conditions are suitable. Proper food, plus 

 water, is the very important factor in raising muskrats in 

 the wild state; in semidomestication, such as on rat 

 ranches of 100,000 acres or more, or in confinement such 

 as on fur farms. The ranching or farming of these animals 

 will not be gone into here, as it is fully treated in separate 

 chapters in this bulletin. 



We do not know all we should about this animal's breed- 

 ing habits. This holds as good in Louisiana as in 

 Manitoba, in Maryland as in Alaska. One is inclined to 



