174 NORTH AMERICAN MUSTELID^. 



and lasting an effluvium. Its strength is fully perceived in 

 taking the animal from a trap, or when the Mink is otherwise 

 irritated. Ordinarily the scent is not emitted to any noticeable 

 degree 5 it is under voluntary control, and the fact that the 

 Mink spends most of its time in the water is another reason 

 why its proximity, even in numbers, is not commonly perceived 

 by smell. Both sexes i)0ssess the scent-bags ; they lie in the 

 perinieum, one on each side of the rectum, and open upon a 

 papilla on either side of the anus, just within the edge of the 

 external orifice. As usual, the apparatus pertains primarily to 

 the sexual relations, and, in fact, can have no other office of 

 consequence, since the effluvium is not powerful enough to 

 deter pursuit on the part of a determined enemy, as is the case 

 with the intolerable emanations of the Skunk. Its service 

 seems to be that of attracting the sexes. It is used with advan- 

 tage, like the castoreum of Beavers, by trappers, to increase 

 the efficacy of their bait. It belongs to the class of musky 

 odors, which, in minute quantities, are not disagreeable to most 

 persons 5 and, indeed, a moderate amount of mink scent is to 

 me less undesirable than the ineffably rank odor of a he- wolf 

 for instance. The former is special and peculiar; the latter 

 seems to convey all that is obscene in the nature of the animal. 



The distribution of the Mink in this country is scarcely 

 limited. In a word, it is found in suitable places throughout 

 North America. Sir John Richardson found it on Mackenzie's 

 River as far north as 60° j " and there is every reason to belreve 

 that it ranges to the mouth of that river, in latitude 69°". 

 Audubon says that he has seen it ''in every State in the Union'', 

 and remarks its abundance in the salt marshes of the Southern 

 States. Although he could at that time only speak at second 

 hand of its occurrence in regions west of the liocky Mountains, 

 I have sufficient evidence in the way of specimens that it is 

 there equally well represented. Its essentially aquatic nature 

 leads it to seek, in general, well-watered sections, and it will 

 never be found far away from water, except it be caught during 

 the journeys it makes from one stream or i^ool to another. 

 Nevertheless, I have found it in great plenty along the water- 

 courses of some of the driest portions of the interior of the 

 continent, as in Dakota and Montana. 



The very scarcity of water in such regions is one cause of 

 the apparent abundance of certain aquatic animals in spots, as 

 around the pools and along the few streams j they become 



