882 Life-histories of Northern Animals 



and she was this time compelled to return to her young 

 empty-handed. 



"From the bank of the stream, where egress from the 

 .water was made, to the burrow fifty yards distant, a well- 

 beaten path had been formed by the mother Mink in her daily 

 excursions in quest of food for her young." 



As late as June 28 they are still in the nest with the 

 mother in the country about Methy Lake, as evidenced by 

 a note in Richardson's last "Journey":'" "A female Mink 

 {Fison lutreola) was killed as it was crossing a bay of the lake. 

 It had 8 swollen teats and its udder contained milk; so that 

 probably its death insured that of a young progeny also." 



Soon after their eyes are open the young Mink seem to 

 go forth into the world under the guardianship of the mother. 

 W. R. Hine tells me that he has often seen the old one with 

 her brood in June. At such times she shows fight facing one, 

 and uttering a snarling screech; the young meanwhile escape 

 to the water. By now they have doubtless abandoned the 

 nest. 



One of my Kippewa guides, Archie Miller, relates that in 

 a great forest fire near Temiscaming Lake, in July, 1901, 

 he saw an old Mink with her 4 young swimming up a creek 

 towards a lake. The woods were blazing on both sides and 

 they were travelling up stream to escape, coming up for a 

 breath, then diving and swimming under. They were hard 

 pressed, nearly worn out indeed, and could not swim more 

 than 25 feet without coming up. They were the size of a Red- 

 squirrel; only one parent was seen. 



Another guide, Edouard C. Crete, contributes some inter- 

 esting observations on the home life. He says that one year 

 he was staying at a hay camp, 1 1 miles west of Deux Rivieres, 

 Ont., from July 12 to 22. Every day, for a week at least, 

 after the 15th, an old Mink came with 5 young ones to feed 

 on the rubbish thrown out. They were there twice a day, 

 morning and evening, regularly until he went away. 



'"Arc. Search E.\p., 1851, Vol. I, p. loq. 



