WEASEL FAMILY 



129 



quoted stating that he has known several in- 

 stances of these animals being found alive after 

 having lain for fully four-and-twenty hours with 

 their bodies crushed flat beneath a heavy log. 

 The countenance of the Mink is described as at 

 all times far from prepossessing ; but when alive 

 in a steel-trap, these animals are said to have an 

 expression almost diabolical. 



A recent writer narrates an incident showing 

 that the Mink is a formidable enemy of the 

 Musk-Rat, though yielding to the latter in weight. 

 W'hile snipe-hunting on a marshy island below 

 the Kickapoo Rapids of the Illinois River, the 

 writer noticed an object, which appeared like a 



than twelve pounds : " We were spending our 

 vacation in the woods of Maine, fishing and trav- 

 eling about for a good time in general. One day 

 we came across an old dam made to flood a piece 

 of lowland. As this looked like a good place to 

 fish we stopped, seated ourselves upon the edge 

 of the dam, and cast in our line. The fish were 

 quite plenty, and as soon as we caught one we 

 threw it behind us upon the scaffolding. After 

 a dozen or so had been caught, I thovight I would 

 light my pipe, pick up the fish and put them in 

 the shade, and I started to do so. I accomplished 

 the first object, but upon looking for the fish I 

 could not find a single one. I thought that my 



By permission of the New York Zoological Society 



MINK 



The Mink swims and dives with ease, hunting fish, frogs and other aquatic food. It is also fond of birds' 



eggs, but its climbing powers are feeble 



ball some six or eight inches in diameter, rolling 

 toward the water. It was a Mink and a Musk- 

 Rat clinched together, and so completely covered 

 with mud as not to have been at first recognized. 

 At his approach, the Mink released its hold and 

 made its escape ; but the Musk-Rat was already 

 dying of severe wounds in the head and neck, 

 from which the blood was flowing profusely. 

 ■The rodent had evidently been captured and 

 overcome in fair fight by broad daylight, and 

 the Mink would have devoured its victim had not 

 the hunter interfered. 



Mr. Charles Hallock remarks that he has 

 known Minks to carry ofif fish weighing no less 



chum must have removed them, and was plaving 

 a joke upon me, but on mentioning it to him, 

 he was as much surprised as I was. They could 

 not have fallen through the cracks, nor leaped 

 over the side without our knowing it. Where 

 were they ? That was the question. He returned 

 to fish, and I seated myself upon the bank to 

 digest the subject. Presently he caught another 

 fish and threw it upon the boards. Immediately 

 I saw a Mink run out from a hole near bv, snatch 

 the fish and carry it off. This explained the 

 mysterious disappearance of the others." 



"The movements of the Mink on land," says 

 Coues, " though sufficiently active, lack some- 



