46") 



observe the great strength it possesses. Dr. Merriaiii 

 cites an instance where a Mink "was linowu to drag a 

 mallard duck more than a mile, to get it to its hole, 

 where it was joined by its mute." 



The Mink can be easily taken in steel traps or dead 

 falls; it is lemarkably tenacious of life and will live 

 for many hours struggling under the pressure of a 

 pole or log which squeezes its body almost flat. Au- 

 dubon and I'.achman relate a case where they found a 

 live Mink under a dead-fall with a pole across its body, 

 held down by a weight of one hundred and fifty 

 pounds, beneath which It had struggled for nearly a 

 whole day. The steel trap which is commonly em- 

 ployed for catching Minks should be concealed with 

 ordinary care, and baited with fish, a small bird or the 

 head of either a Pheasant, duck or chicken. 



FISH OIL ALL-URES THE MINK. 



"Professional trappers," Dr. C. Hart Merriam writes, "find 

 the Mink attracted by the smell of an oil made from fish that 

 have been allowed to decay, in a loosely corked bottle placed 

 in the sun. 



"The odor from this oil is said to be effective at a considerable 

 distance, and a few drops of it will often entice a Mink into 

 the trap when no bait is visible." 



The following extracts, taken from letters on file in 

 our oflace, and which have been kindly sent us by farm 

 ers, naturalists and sportsmen, show very clearly the 

 character of depredations done by this animal. 



THE MINK AS A DESTROYER OF POULTRY AND GAME. 

 MR. PIERSON, Dys^art. Pa.: 



Have known of hundreds of geese, ducks and turkeys and 

 also chickens to be killed by Weasels, Minks, Skunks and 

 Foxes. A Weasel killed thirty-four chickens in one night; a 

 Mink, three ducks in nne niffht: a Fox. two ajeese in nnp niffht; 



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