Mink 881 



The following, by Dr. T. S. Roberts, of Minneapolis, is a 

 graphic picture of the mother's life and labours for her young 

 at this season:" 



"While engaged in geological work on the Cedar River, 

 near Osage, la., my attention was attracted by the peculiar 

 actions of a Mink {Putorius vison). By careful manoeuvring 

 we were enabled to approach to within a short distance of 

 where it was engaged, and there watch its behaviour unob- 

 served. It was an old mother Mink engaged in fishing for her 

 young. On the ripples in the centre of the stream, where the 

 water was not more than two feet in depth, was a flat drift 

 boulder rising a few inches above the surface. On this rock 

 the mother Mink would take her position and here watch for 

 small fish to approach, when she would dive into the water, 

 be gone for a moment, and then reappear on the opposite side 

 of the rock, usually with a fish in her mouth, which she would 

 deposit in the centre of the stone and its struggles instantly 

 stopped by a quick, sharp bite at the back of the head, which 

 caused immediate death. This process was repeated with- 

 out intermission, except to stop for an instant to shake the 

 water from her furry coat, until 7 fish, varying from 4 to 7 

 inches in length, were deposited on the rock. Then, without 

 stopping to rest, taking one fish in her mouth, she plunged into 

 the water and swam ashore, climbed up the steep bank, and 

 ran hastily to her young, in a burrow under an old stump 

 on the bank of the stream, fifty yards away. In a moment 

 she was seen returning, plunged into the stream and swam 

 to the rock, took a second fish in her mouth, entered the 

 river once more, and returned to her young as at first. This 

 was repeated until all the fish had been carried away. A 

 few moments after having removed the last fish, she returned 

 and began her work once more. This time, however, her 

 labours were without result, so, shifting her position to another 

 rock in the stream, a short distance away, she continued her 

 fishing. But, although more than a quarter of an hour was 

 spent in energetic effort, her labours were without avail, 



'INlam. Minn., 1892, pp. 127-8. 



