146 NOTES BY THE WAY. 



gone down-stream, as had many other dwellings of a 

 less temporary character. The rats had built wisely, 

 and would have been perfectly secure against any 

 ordinary high water, but who can foresee a flood ? 

 The oldest traditions of their race did not run back 

 to the time of such a visitation. 



Nearly a week afterward another dwelling was 

 begun, well away from the treacherous channel, but 

 the architects did not work at it with much heart ; 

 the material was very scarce, the ice hindered, and 

 before the basement-story was fairly finished, winter 

 had the pond under his lock and key. * 



In other localities I noticed that where the nests 

 were placed on the banks of streams, they were made 

 secure against the floods by being built amid a small 

 clump of bushes. When the fall of 1879 came, the 

 muskrats were very tardy about beginning their house, 

 laying the corner-stone or the corner-sod about 

 December 1st, and continuing the work slowly and 

 indifferently. On the 15th of the month the nest 

 was not yet finished. This, I said, indicates a mild 

 winter ; and, sure enough, the season was one of the 

 mildest known for many years. The rats had little 

 use for their house. 



Again, in the fall of 1880, while the weather-wise 

 were wagging their heads, some forecasting a mild, 

 some a severe, winter, I watched with interest for a 

 sign from my muskrats. About November 1st, a 

 month earlier than the previous year, they began 

 iheir nest, and worked at it with a will. They ap 



