THE WEATHER-WISE MUSKRAT. 87 
I approached their nest at this time, a white mound 
upon the white, deeply frozen surface of the pond, and 
wondered if there was any life in that apparent sep- 
ulchre. I thrust my walking- stick sharply into it, 
when there was a rustle and a splash into the water, 
as the occupant made his escape. What a damp base- 
ment that house has, I thought, and what a pity to 
rout a peaceful neighbor out of his bed in this weather, © 
and into such a state of things as this! But water does 
not wet the muskrat; his fur is charmed, and not a 
drop penetrates it. Where the ground is favorable, 
the muskrats do not build these mound-like nests, but 
burrow into the bank a long distance, and establish 
their winter-quarters there. 
Shall we not say, then, in view of the above facts, 
that this little creature is weather-wise? The hitting 
of the mark twice might be mere good luck; but three 
bull’s-eyes in succession is not a mere coincidence; it 
is a proof of skill. The muskrat is not found in the 
Old World, which is a little singular, as other rats so 
abound there, and as those slow-going English streams 
especially, with their grassy banks, are so well suited 
to him. The water-rat of Europe is smaller, but of 
similar nature and habits. The muskrat does not 
hibernate like some rodents, but is pretty active all 
winter. In December I noticed in my walk where 
they had made excursions of a few yards to an orchard 
for frozen apples. One day, along a little stream, I 
saw a mink track amid those of the muskrat; follow- 
ing it up, I presently came to blood and other marks 
of strife upon the snow beside a stone wall. Looking 
in between the stones, I found the carcass of the luck- 
less rat, with its head and neck eaten away. The 
mink had made a meal of him. 
