NOTES ON THE MAMMALS OF LAKE MAXINKUCKEE 27 



September, as we have seen half-grown and one-third-grown young 

 September n and 22. Heavy rains in the spring frequently flood 

 the breeding grounds with the result that many of the first litters 

 are drowned. This was particularly the case in 1902 when there 

 were unusually heavy rains in May and June, flooding all the low- 

 lands. That many young Rabbits were drowned is evidenced by 

 their scarcity in the fall and winter following. 



Here, as elsewhere, the Rabbit causes some damage to young 

 fruit trees by gnawing the bark. The damage is greatest during 

 the winters of heavy and long-continued snows which cover up other 

 vegetation on which they would feed. The Lake Maxinkuckee 

 region, however, is not much given to orchards or horticulture and 

 the injury wrought by Rabbits is therefore not serious. 



The Rabbit as an article of food is becoming more highly appre- 

 ciated in recent years and there is also an increasing market for its 

 fur. With proper laws providing adequate protection a large and 

 valuable catch could be made every year. 



19. Lynx ruffus (Gueldenstaedt). 

 Wild Cat. 



The Wild Cat or Lynx was probably not uncommon in this county 

 up to about 1850. They are now rarely seen. We have unauthen- 

 ticated accounts of their occurrence west of Lake Maxinkuckee as 

 late as 1870, or later. Dr. Hahn records the killing of one near 

 Oxford, Benton County, in 1905. 



20. Vulpes fulvus (Desmarest). 

 Red Fox. 



Formerly common throughout the state but now not often seen. 

 A few burrows believed to be those of Foxes were observed in Wal- 

 ley's woods and near the outlet, southwest of the lake. The only 

 Foxes actually seen by us about the lake were a family of 3 young 

 and their mother found April 18, 1901, in a den in Green's field 

 southwest of the lake. The old one was shot, and the three 

 young taken as pets. One of them promptly escaped, but the other 

 two were kept for several weeks when a second one escaped. The 



