
MAMMALS OF MINNESOTA. 187 
‘ some small animal while being dragged along. My curiosity 
being aroused, I followed it a short distance out from among 
the tamaracks into the bushy meadow adjoining. Here I came 
upon a place where the snow had been beaten down in a circular 
spot, the weeds and bushes having been lashed about—evi- 
dently the scene of an encounter of some kind. Going a 
few steps farther, I found there were now two tracks, one 
made by a rabbit in full run, and the other by some small 
animal, evidently a mink. The pursuit had been a hot one, 
and the mink had showed his cunning by keeping a little to one 
side of the rabbit that he might take advantage of any curve or 
turn made by the latter. Having learned this much, I turned 
about and followed the trail made by the body of the captured 
rabbit. Straight into the middle of the tamarack swamp it 
went, to a small stream flowing in a narrow, ditch-like channel- 
Here on the frozen stream I found the rabbit dragged into 
a narrow place between the banks of the ditch. It was the 
little grey rabbit (Lepus sylvaticus). ‘ A round hole just back of 
the ear on the left side, showed how the life blood had been 
drawn. 
Near this creek I noticed other places where this mink had 
been chasing rabbits, but without success. A short distance 
up the creek I found where another rabbit had been dragged 
into the ditch, but it was not frozen here, and the body could 
not be found.” 
The following observations given by Prof. C L. Webster* 
’ may serve to give some insight into the domestic habits of the 
mink, Opportunities for such observation are, unfortunately, 
exceedingly rare in all the fur-bearing animals, and the present 
case may serve as a foil to the less pleasant picture afforded by 
Dr. Roberts, of the disposition of another member of the same 
group: 
‘‘While engaged in geological work on the Cedar river, near 
Osage, Iowa, my attention was attracted by the peculiar actions 
of amink (Putorius vison). By careful maneuvering we were en- 
abled to approach to within a short distance of where it was en- 
gaged, and there watch its behavior unobserved. It was an old 
mother mink engaged in fishing for her young. On the ripples 
in the centre of the stream, where the water was not more 
than two feet in depth, was a flat drift boulder rising a few 
inches above the surface. On this rock the mother mink would 
take her position and here watch for small fish to approach, 
*Am. Naturalist. March, 1889, p. 176. 
