74 COMMISSION OF CONSERVATION 
The nests are made about 20 inches by 20 inches and 6 
Sabb the inches high, and are pushed into a large box (similarly to 
a drawer in a chest of drawers), which is placed in a bank of 
earth and covered up. Thus, if it is necessary to examine the nest, 
it may be drawn out. A piece of meshed wire over the inner box 
will permit a view of the whole interior. The entrances should be 
a foot or more long and from three to four inches in diameter. Mr. 
Desormeau, the manager at Lac Ghaud, reported that, once a female 
took possession of a nest, no other mink was allowed to enter, always 
being met at the entrance to the passageway and beaten back. The 
food is always carried to the entrance and is taken from the hand as 
quickly as offered. As many nests as there are females in the 1anch, 
and probably a few more, are required to prevent fighting for pos- 
session or the making of nests in burrows. 
The males are provided with large caves roofed over with 
ae aa planks or concrete. Food is thrown in through a hatch in 
the roof. In summer the mink obtains a considerable quan- 
tity of food in the water, as small fish can get through the meshed 
fence. Because of the free range, only flesh food is fed. 
It could not be ascertained how the mother and young are cared 
for during the several months when the latter are dependent on their 
mother for food and protection. It is the intention of Mr. Desormeau to 
separate the young from the old each year and place them in one end of 
his fenced area, having a fence crossing the island to divide them. It 
is likely that when they are about two months old, or about July 1, 
the separation of the young from the mother could be easily effected 
by simply carrying them away in their box. They would be old 
enough at that time to live on solid food and would be tamer and gentler 
than if left with their mother. 
The food is almost wholly fish, supplied from the lake. Permis- 
sion has been received from the Quebec authorities to capture the fish 
by any method. It is proposed to restock the lake with fry. 
It is estimated that six men can manage the ranch and that about 
two thousand females and one quarter as many males can be accom- 
modated as breeding stock. 
No ranches of this type were examined, but proof that such 
a exist was furnished by owners who did not wish to reveal 
to the public the methods they used. The promoters of 
this method claim to be highly successful and have given considerable 
study to the habits of the mink, a fact which is proved by their intel- 
ligent discussions of mink-ranching problems. 
