936 Life-histories of Northern Animals 



The following, related to me by George Martin (of Paul 

 Smith's, Adirondacks, N. Y.), illustrates at once the savageness 

 of this animal and its power as a swimmer: 



In June, about 1870, Paul Smith was guiding a New York 



sportsman named S . One night they went out to 



jack Deer on Spitfire Lake, near Paul Smith's hotel. They 

 noticed a wake in the water and, thinking it was made by a 

 Deer, gave chase. It proved to be a large Blackcat or Fisher, 



swimming the lake, here a mile wide. S insisted that 



he could catch the animal alive. When they came near, he 

 seized it and threw it into the boat. It attacked him savagely. 

 He drew his hunting knife, but in his excitement he did not 

 notice that the sheath was still on it. With this he fought the 

 Blackcat, stabbing furiously, hitting the boat chiefly, and 

 wondering at the toughness of the Cat. He was getting badly 

 mauled, when Smith threw the beast out of the boat and killed 

 it with his paddle. It was an old female. These animals are 

 often known to swim rivers and lakes in the Adirondacks. 



SPEED, The track of the Fisher is much like that of the Marten, 



but proportionately larger. On the ground it travels, as do 

 most of the Weasels, by the succession of square-tracked 

 jumps. Bachman describes one running after a Gray-squirrel,' ' 

 with every prospect of overtaking it, but also states that on the 

 ground it appeared to have far less speed than the Fox. 



FOOD As already noted, the name Fisher is not happily bestowed, 



as the animal is probably less of a fisher than any other of our 

 large Weasels. Its food list is most comprehensive and includes 

 every kind of bird, beast, fish, frog, or reptile that it can secure 

 as well as all manner of eggs and fruit — with meats and 

 seeds for variety, its choice staples being Hares, Squirrels, 

 Mice, frogs, and fish when it can find them. Of the last, it is 

 extremely fond, and yet it is not known to go a-fishing. It is 

 said to catch and feed on its little cousin, the Marten, which is 

 evidence of most amazing agility. Audubon and Bachman 



"Q. N. A., 1849, Vol. I, p. 311. 



