8^6 Home Nature-Study Course. 



(4). Can you see in it a difference in the size of the front and hind 

 feet ? 



(5). Judging from the track where do you think the muskrat came 

 from ? 



(6), Could you discover from the track what it was hunting for? 



(7). What mark does the tail make in the snow or mud? 



(8), Judging from its mark describe the tail of the muskrat. Is it long 

 or short, bare or bushy, slender or strong? 



Facts for the Teacher. — The muskrat is essentially a water animal and, there- 

 fore, its tracks are to be discovered about the margins of ponds, streams or in 

 marshes. Measuring the track is simply a device for getting the pupils to note 

 its size and shape more carefully. Whether the tracks are made by walking or 

 jumping depends upon the depth of the snow; if it is deep the muskrat jumps, 

 but on mud of shores or shallow snow it simply runs along unless frightened. The 

 track shows the front feet much smaller than the hind feet ; the latter are large 

 and the toes are webbed. During the winter the muskrats dwell in their burrows 

 in the banks of streams or in their lodges built of mud and reeds ; therefore, we 

 find their tracks during the thaws of March or February on the margins of brooks 

 or ponds where the little creatures come out of the v/ater to seek for food. The 

 muskrat track is, however, characterized especially by the imprint made by the tail. 

 When the animal jumps through the snow the mark of the tail follows the paired 

 imprints of the feet ; when it walks there is always a trail of its strong, long, naked 

 tail makijig a continuous line in the snow ; and this will always identify the track 

 of the muskrat from that of the mink, as the bushy tail of the latter does not 

 make so distinct a mark. 



Lesson XXXVI. 



now THE MUSKRAT LOOKS. 



Purpose. — To lead the pupils to observe this interesting animal and 

 note how it is fitted to live its own life. 



Material. — If possible the teacher should have a live muskrat in cap- 

 tivity for these observations. If one is trapped with the " figure 4 " it 

 will not be injured, and it may be made more or less tame by feeding it 

 with sweet apples, carrots or parsnips. The pupils can thus study it at 

 leisure, although they should not be allowed to handle the creature as it 

 inflicts very severe wounds with its front incisors. If a live muskrat 

 cannot be obtained perhaps some hunter in the neighborhood will supply 

 a dead one for the observation lesson. If neither of these are available 

 try to induce the boys who are interested to make the observations in the 

 field, as far as possible, and give the information to the class. 



