HISTORY AND HABITS OF THE MINK. 175 



aggregated in a few places rather than generally dispersed over 

 the country, so that their numbers appear greater than they 

 really are. In the region last mentioned, there was scarcely any 

 water, running or stagnant, even if enduring for ooly a part of 

 the year, the muddy banks of which were not dotted with num- 

 berless tracks of Mink, Muskrats, and Meadow Mice. All 

 around the permanent pools, the entrances to the burrows of 

 the first named were to be found. The holes were noticed more 

 or less nearly at water-level, according to the state of evapora- 

 tion of the water ; they were generally dug in a rather steep 

 part of the bank, and from the entrance of the burrow a " way'' 

 led far out into the pool. 



Whilst encamped for a month or more in the autumn of 1873, 

 on Mouse River, in ]^orthern Dakota, a friend with me pro- 

 cured a large number of Minks without difficulty. In addition 

 to our steel traps, we built numerous deadfalls, and were equally 

 successful with both means. The Minks were not at all wary 

 about the traps. Any contrivance by which a small log could 

 be made to fall against another on touching a trigger, the bait 

 being covered so that the animal could only reach it from the 

 desired position, sufficed perfectly well. Such a trap may be 

 built, where there is wood, with a hatchet and pocket-knife in 

 a few minutes. We set them at intervals for several miles 

 along the stream, wherever, judging from the number of tracks, 

 we were most likely to be successful. They were placed as 

 near as convenient to the water's edge, baited with a duck-s 

 head or breast, and scented with the Mink's odor. In setting 

 the steel traps, we placed them in the *-ways" leading into the 

 burrows, and in very shallow parts of the stream, where a little 

 water rippled over pebbly shingle. It was found best, on the 

 whole, not to bait the trap itself, but to build a little box of flat 

 stones, with a narrow entrance, at which the trap was set, the 

 bait being placed further in. The Mink of this region seemed 

 to me rather smaller and darker than average, and they rarely 

 showed white along the chest or belly. 



The tenacity of life of the Mink is something remarkable. 

 It lives for many hours — in cases I have known for more than a 

 day and night — under the pressure of a heavy log, sufficient to 

 hold it like a vice, and when the middle of the body was pressed 

 perfectly flat. Nay, under one such circumstance which I re- 

 call, the animal showed good fight on approach. When caught 

 I'v }>. Ic,^ ill a :stce'l tnip, the Mii.k usiuilly gnaws and tears the 



