266 Department of Conservation of Louisiana 





The result of controlled burning of the marsh on muskrat lands. With water on the 

 ground and a fresh wind blowing the fires swept over the muskrat houses without setting 

 them afire. As a result of the burning off the rough dead grasses new growths of three- 

 cornered rush appeared. A fire set during a dry spell would cause a great deal of damage, 

 it has been demonstrated. 



Mature conclusions are that the enemies to the muskrat, 

 named in the order of the destruction they cause, are: 

 minks, moccasins, snakes, garfish, owls, hogs, alligators 

 and raccoons. 



Few of our Louisiana trappers appear to realize the 

 fact that the mink is an enemy to the muskrat, but those 

 who have discovered the fact testify to the amount of dam- 

 age this sly, murderous little animal does in the coastal 

 marshes and such trappers make mink sets a part of their 

 activities. 



A number of investigators have noted the mink's pre- 

 dilection for muskrats. Dr. A. K. Fisher of the U. S. Bio- 

 logical Survey, claims that the mink is indefatigable in its 

 search for meadow mice, muskrats and other marsh-loving 

 rodents, and "it is very fond of muskrats, and one of the 



