HISTORY AND HABITS OF THE MINK. 177 



is as essentially aquatic iu its habits as the Otter, Beaver, or 

 Muskrat, and spends perhaps more of its time in the water 

 than it does on land. In adaptation to this mode of life, the 

 pelage has that peculiar glossiness of the longer bristly hairs 

 and felting of the close under fur which best resists the water, 

 much as in the cases of the other animals just mentioned* 

 Were not fashion so notoriously capricious, Mink pelts would 

 maintain a conspicuous place in the fur marts of the world ; 

 certainly few surpass them in richness of color, gloss, and fine- 

 ness. Yet they have been found under some circumstances 

 not to repay cost of transportation, although it should be 

 added, at times the price they fetch shows them to be better 

 appreciated. The darkest colored samples are regarded as the 

 most valuable — such as those coming from the so-called Futo- 

 rins nigrescens. As in other cases, the quality of the fur de- 

 pends largely upon season, and other varying circumstances. 

 iSTova Scotian pelts have been regarded with particular favor. 

 On this subject, the folio wiug extract from Dr. Gilpin's article 

 above quoted is given : — '^ This fur ouee valueless has steadily 

 increased in price, till last winter [1805] not seldom five dollars 

 was paid for a single skin. Our Indians trap but very little 

 now. The idle boys about the A'illages take many. The 

 farmer, indignant at his slaughtered fowl yard, adds a few 

 more. In every land and every village, there is a social gip- 

 sey who loves sport and hates work ; who fishes, and fowls, 

 and traps, eats his own trout or poached salmon or moose 

 meat, taken out of season, and exchanges his little pile of fur 

 for tea and tobacco at the country store. Many come from 

 this source. Thus a gathering pile collects and dangles at the 

 country store. The owner packs and sends them to the Hali- 

 fax market, where of late years it has become the habit for the 

 fur dealers to tender in writing for them. About six thousand 

 are annually exported from !N'ova Scotia proper." 



Coincidentally with the aquatic habitat, the food ox the 

 Mink is somewhat modified, in comparison with that of the 

 land species of the genus. It is probably our only species 

 which feeds habitually upon reptiles, fish, molluscs, and crusta- 

 ceans — more particularly upon frogs, fresh-water bivalves, 

 crawfish, and the like. Nevertheless, it is not confined to 

 such diet, but shows its relationships with the terrestrial Wea- 

 sels in a wide range of the same articles of diet as the latter 

 secure. It is said to prey upon Muskrats — a statement I have 

 12 M 



