216 BULLETIN NO. VII. 



might otherwise wage a war of extermination. There see ms 

 to be a certain reciprocity between the occupants of adjacent 

 lodges, although the rats are jealous by nature and have not 

 the communistic characters of the beaver, though no whit in- 

 ferior to them as architects. 



As to the statement commonly believed by woodcraf tsmen in 

 the west that the muskrat prearranges his hut in view of the 

 length and severity of the coming winter we can offer nothing 

 definitely. There is, however, a wide variation in respect to 

 the size and structure of the huts and a general correspon- 

 dence, though by no means a universal one, between the huts 

 built during a given season. An average hut is 6x10 feet in 

 diameter at the water's edge and the size of the chamber varies 

 from eighteen inches to two feet. 



It is interesting to note in this connection the curious state- 

 ment of Carver as to the winter habits of this animal (p. 425 

 Carvers Travels. ) 



"The muskrat is so termed for the exquisite musk which it 

 affords. It appears to be a diminutive of the beaver, being 

 endowed with all the properties of that sagacious animal, and 

 wants nothing but size and strength, being not much bigger 

 than a large rat of the Norway breed, to rival the creature it 

 so much resembles. 



* 'Like the beaver it builds itself a cabin, but of less perfect 

 construction, and takes up its abode near the side of some 

 piece of water. In the spring they leave their retreats, and in 

 pairs subsist on leaves and roots till the summer comes on, 

 when they feed on strawberries, raspberries and such other 

 fruits as they can reach. At the approach of winter they sep- 

 arate, when each takes up its lodging apart by itself in some 

 hollow of a tree, where they remain quite unprovided with 

 food, and there is the greatest reason to believe, subsist with- 

 out any till the return of spring." 



The feats performed by muskrats in opening and devouring 

 mussels may be, as claimed by some observers mythical but 

 there seems to be no doubt that they avail themselves of ani- 

 mal food upon occasion. 



"Just before night we saw a musquash, the only one we saw 

 in this voyage. The Indian, wishing to get one to eat, hushed 

 us, saying, 'stop, me call 'em'; and sitting flat on the bank, he 

 began to make a curious squeaking, wiry sound with his lips, 

 exerting himself considerably. * * * It was evident that he 

 was in the habit of calling the musquash to him, as he said. 



