118 BULLETIN NO. VII. 



Putorius vison BRISSON. 



MINK. 



(PLATE XVIII.) 



Mustela vison, Earlier writers. 



Lutra vison SHAW. 



Putorius vison. Modern writers. 



Mustela lutreola FORSTER, SABINE, etc. 



Vison lutreola GRAY. 



Mustela canadensis ERXLEBEN, etc. 



Mustela winingus BARTON. 



Mustela minx TURTON. 



Mustela lutreocephala HARLAN. 



In size and external appearance the mink approaches the 

 martens. The tail is bushy rather than cylindrical, but the 

 head is triangular and flat like the weasels. The ear is very 

 small. The fur is composed of a soft, dense under fur inter- 

 mingled with long stiff shining hairs. The color is brown of 

 various shades, from dark chocolate to yellowish. A broad 

 dorsal area is darkest. The chin is white, and there may be 

 other blotches of white on the under parts which are otherwise 

 little lighter than the upper surface. As indicating the aquatic 

 habit, the toes are webbed at the bases. The mink is distrib- 

 uted over N. America everywhere in suitable locations. Our 

 species differs from the European P. lutreola in a few insignifi- 

 cant osteological points only. 



Coincidentally with the aquatic habitat, the food of the 

 Mink is somewhat modified, in comparison with that of the 

 Jand species of the genus. It is probably our only species 

 which feeds habitually upon reptiles, fish, molluscs, and crusta- 

 ceansmore particularly upon frogs, fresh-water bivalves, 

 crawfish, and the like. Nevertheless, it is not confined to 

 such diet, but shows its relationships with the terrestrial Wea- 

 sels in a wide range of the same articles of diet as the latter 

 secure. It is said to prey upon Muskrats a statement I have 

 no hesitation in believing, though I cannot personally attest it. 

 A recent writer,* in an article which I would quote were it 

 written in a style suited to the present connection, narrates an 

 incident which may be here briefly related, as showing that 

 the Mink is a formidable enemy of the Muskrat, though yield- 

 ing to the latter in weight. Whilst snipe-hunting on a marshy 

 island below the Kickapoo Rapids of the Illinois River, the 



*M. A. Howell, jr. "The trapper not the only enemy of the Muskrat." Forest and 

 Stream of Dec. 21, 1876. 



