The Home of the ]Volve)rne and Beaver. 149 



length, exclusive of the tail, is about two feet, and 

 its weight perhaps ten pounds. The fisher climbs 

 trees with the greatest facility, in fact it is amongst 

 their branches that it usually seeks its prey. Though 

 living in the woods, it prefers damp places in the 

 vicinity of water, and is said by one naturalist to 

 prey upon frogs in the summer season, though its 

 favourite food is the Canadian porcupine, which it 

 kills by biting the under portion of the animal's 

 body, where there are no quills. The fisher makes 

 its nest in hollow trees, or rather it takes possession 

 of the ready-made home of the squirrel, and to 

 avoid any disputes with the rightful owner, kills 

 and eats him, ofif-hand. It is said to throw itself 

 down from lofty boughs, and to fall on the ground 

 without injury, but there is reason to doubt the 

 accuracy of this statement. A party had once 

 ascended a mountain in search of rare plants, and 

 being fatigued had seated themselves on a rock, 

 when a grey squirrel was obser\^ed to dart past at 

 full speed and in a great fright, closely pursued by 

 a fisher. Both animals were too much occupied 

 with their own concerns to notice the on-lookers, who 

 thus obtained an excellent view of the whole affair. 

 Fast as the squirrel ran the fisher was rapidly 

 overhauling it, when the former sought refuge in 

 the boughs of a cucumber tree, still pursued by its 



