The Fur Animals of Louisiana 



23i 



A heavy stand of "three-cornered grass," the three-square rush, Scirpus robustus, a favorite 



muskrat, wild duck and wild goose food. 



The giant bulrush (Scirpus validus), which grows pro- 

 fusely in all known muskrat-producing marshes, is next in 

 importance as food. This plant is known as "bull whip," 

 Jonc rond, and sometimes, even in these Ford days, as 

 "buggy whip." 



Cattail is also an important food for the muskrat in 

 Louisiana and these animals feed on it freely, especially 

 during the summer months. Both the broad leaf (Typha 

 latifolia) and the narrow-leaf (Typha angustifolia) species 

 are to be found in our marshes, although the narrow-leaf 

 is far more abundant. The cattails are known to the trap- 

 pers by various names, both English and French, such as 

 "Flag grass, Jonc plat, and Jonc au baril." 



Marsh grass (Panicum virgatum and Panicum hemito- 

 mum) , one of the common Paille fine of Louisiana (French 

 for "fine grass"), but dubbed "Payfeen" by most of the 



