THE MUSQUASH. 339 



rat, it is a near relative of the beaver, and in many of its 

 habits very much resembles that wisest of animals. The 

 musquash is found all over Canada, in almost every lake, 

 stream, and river, and even in the salt-water marshes on 

 the sea-coast. It is one of the few wild animals that 

 survives the settlement of the country by man. Its 

 fur, though really excellent, is only worth lOd. or Is. 

 Should the price ever rise, musquash will no doubt 

 become scarce. They breed like rabbits, two or three 

 litters in the season. In winter they make little camps 

 for themselves, of mud and rushes, which are generally 

 built in shallow lakes. The entrance to the camp is 

 under water, but the apartment above water. Unlike 

 the beaver, they do not lay up a winter store of food in 

 their camps, but depend upon the grass and roots that' 

 they can find under the ice. In some places, instead of 

 camps they burrow in the banks of rivers. The fur 

 is in season from September to June. The musquash, 

 notwithstanding its strong smell, is very good eating. 

 The Indians, in some parts of New Brunswick, fast on 

 its flesh in Lent, as they consider it comes under the 

 head of fish. Musquash are not very shy, and the sports- 

 man of an evening, when sitting on the banks of a river 

 or lake watching for ducks, sees tbe little fellows swim- 

 ming and diving all round him, and hauling grass and 

 rushes to their camps. They are caught in steel traps, 

 like otter ; also in curious little floating deadfalls, baited 

 with parsnips, a vegetable they are extremely fond of. 

 In winter they are taken in steel traps set under the ice 

 near the doors of their lodges, or else they are speared 

 through the roof, which their breath keeps from freezing 



