18.5 



They eat this food with equal avidity after decompositioa has 

 taken place, devouring every particle of flesh, cartilage, and the 

 bones. The flesh and bones entire of the woodchuck are con- 

 sumed often at a single meal. While the expense of keeping 

 is thus trivial, the profitable yield of the animal is compara- 

 tively Immense, it being considered a moderate estimate or 

 claim that the mink with her increase will equal the avails of a 

 cow.' " 



We find in Audubon and Bachman several paragraphs upon 

 the same subject, which will be transcribed : — " The Mink, when 

 taken young, becomes very gentle, and forms a strong attach- 

 ment (?) to those who fondle it in a state of domestication. 

 Eichardson saw one in the possession of a Canadian woman, 

 that passed the day in her pocket, looking out occasionally 

 when its attention was roused by any unusual noise. We had 

 in our possession a pet of this kind for eighteen months; it 

 regularly made a visit to an adjoining fish-pond both morning 

 and evening, and returned to the house of its own accord, where 

 it continued during the remainder of the day. It waged war 

 against the !N"orway rats which had their domicile in the dam 

 that formed the fishpond, and it caught the frogs which had 

 taken possession of its banks. We did not perceive that it 

 captured many fish, and it never attacked the poultry. It was 

 on good terms with the dogs and cats, and molested no one 

 unless its tail or foot was accidentally trod upon, when it inva- 

 riably revenged itself by snapping at the foot of the offender. 

 It was rather dull at midday, but very active and playful in the 

 morning and evening and at night. It never emitted its dis- 

 agreeable odour except when it had received a sudden and 

 severe hurt. It was fond of squatting in the chimney corner, 

 and formed a particular attachment to an armchair in our study. 



"The latter end of February or the beginning of March, in 

 the latitude of Albany, X. Y., is the rutting season of the Mink. 

 At this period the ground is usually still covered with snow, 

 but the male is notwithstanding very restless, and his tracks 

 may every where be traced, along ponds, among the slabs around 

 sawmills, and along nearly every stream of water. He seems 

 to keep on foot all day as well as through the whole night. 

 Having for several days in succession observed a number of 

 Minks on the ice hurrying up and down a millpond, where we 

 had not observed any during the whole winter, we took a 

 position near a place which we had seen them pass, in order to 



