﻿314 
  FAUNA. 
  

  

  logs 
  set 
  as 
  dead 
  falls. 
  When 
  overtaken 
  in 
  the 
  day, 
  he 
  

   has 
  heen 
  known 
  to 
  "play 
  jpossum, 
  and 
  simulate 
  death. 
  

  

  When 
  Iberville 
  made 
  his 
  first 
  settlement 
  at 
  Baluxi, 
  

   Eaccoons 
  were 
  very 
  numerous 
  upon 
  the 
  islands 
  on 
  the 
  

   coast, 
  and 
  were 
  mistaken 
  by 
  the 
  French 
  for 
  the 
  cat; 
  

   hence 
  the 
  name 
  which 
  one 
  of 
  those 
  islands 
  yet 
  bears. 
  

  

  The 
  Polecat! 
  Faugh! 
  Mej)hitic, 
  indeed! 
  Strange 
  it 
  

   is 
  that 
  from 
  an 
  animal 
  so 
  beautiful 
  should 
  proceed 
  a 
  

   fetor 
  so 
  abominable. 
  Surely, 
  its 
  " 
  offence 
  was 
  rank 
  and 
  

  

  smelt 
  to 
  ," 
  when 
  Father 
  Charlevoix 
  named 
  this 
  

  

  little 
  animal 
  " 
  I'enfant 
  du 
  diable." 
  

  

  Since 
  the 
  Indians 
  have 
  left 
  the 
  State, 
  the 
  Otter 
  has 
  

   become 
  more 
  abundant, 
  and 
  is 
  evidently 
  on 
  the 
  increase. 
  

   The 
  skin 
  is 
  less 
  in 
  demand 
  for 
  the 
  felt 
  than 
  for 
  dressing 
  

   with 
  the 
  fur 
  on, 
  and 
  is 
  chiefly 
  used 
  when 
  so 
  prepared 
  

   for 
  hunting-pouches 
  and 
  caps. 
  The 
  otter 
  is 
  often 
  shot 
  

   with 
  the 
  rifle 
  about 
  mill-ponds. 
  

  

  The 
  Wolf, 
  like 
  the 
  Bear, 
  has 
  been 
  driven 
  into 
  retire- 
  

   ment, 
  and 
  is 
  now 
  rarely 
  seen 
  in 
  the 
  older 
  settled 
  parts 
  

   of 
  the 
  country. 
  Wolves 
  are 
  still 
  numerous, 
  however, 
  

   in 
  the 
  sparsely 
  settled 
  districts 
  of 
  the 
  State, 
  and 
  emerge 
  

   in 
  packs 
  occasionally 
  from 
  their 
  fastnesses, 
  on 
  marauding 
  

   excursions 
  to 
  the 
  neighboring 
  sheepfolds, 
  and, 
  with 
  a 
  

   wasteful 
  prodigality 
  of 
  blood, 
  destroy 
  and 
  mangle 
  ten 
  

   times 
  as 
  much 
  as 
  they 
  can 
  devour. 
  

  

  They 
  are 
  taken 
  in 
  pens 
  or 
  traps 
  made 
  of 
  poles, 
  and 
  

   baited 
  with 
  fresh 
  meat, 
  which 
  is 
  previously 
  dragged 
  over 
  

   the 
  ground 
  for 
  miles 
  through 
  the 
  woods 
  near 
  their 
  

   haunts, 
  to 
  lure 
  them 
  on 
  the 
  trail. 
  Pits 
  are 
  also 
  con- 
  

   structed 
  with 
  a 
  slight 
  covering 
  of 
  twigs 
  and 
  leaves, 
  into 
  

   which 
  they 
  fall 
  in 
  attempting 
  to 
  reach 
  the 
  bait 
  sus- 
  

   pended 
  over 
  them. 
  

  

  The 
  Gray 
  Fox 
  only 
  is 
  known 
  with 
  us, 
  and, 
  although 
  

   less 
  hunted 
  than 
  in 
  other 
  States, 
  is 
  not 
  very 
  numerous. 
  

  

  