With Gun ^ Rod in Canada 



Every time that I would jingle the keys the little 

 animals would pop out in some new spot, so I focussed 

 the camera as near as I could on the nearest hole in the 

 planking, and kept jingling the keys and waiting. In a 

 few seconds one of the little chaps poked his head out, 

 and I took picture No. i, here shown. He seemed to 

 be fascinated by the sun shining on the metal-work 

 of the camera, or the jingle of the keys, and he crawled 

 out a little farther. I took picture No. 2. Then 

 I leaned over and held the camera as close to him as 

 I could without stepping forward, and he crept out to 

 within three feet of the lens. I took a picture so close 

 that it was out of focus. Winding the film between the 

 pictures did not seem to frighten him. He acted as 

 though he was unconsciously drawn toward the camera. 

 After I snapped the fourth picture he crept up to within 

 six inches of the toe of my shoe. I could have picked 

 him up in my hands, but I did not care to risk a bite, as a 

 mink's teeth can make a nasty and even dangerous wound. 

 A sudden movement of my foot seemed to bring him out 

 of his trance, and he scurried out of sight. 



While this performance was going on the other two 

 members of the family were dodging in and out of the 

 broken planking, and seemed much interested in the 

 temerity of their courageous brother. 



The above experience has changed my views as to 

 the possibility of " tolling " wild animals. 



80 



