66 CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE 



gunshot hearing of the mayor's ofifice, and coon-suppers are still 

 served by the chef oi the Derryfield Club. In old times the fur 

 of this animal was extensively used for home-made overcoats 

 and winter caps. As long as there are country corn-fields there 

 will be coons. The raccoon belongs to the bear family and like 

 him lives upon both a flesh and vegetable diet. 



Otter, Liitra Canadensis. This aquatic, fish-feeding animal 

 was formerly not infrequent here, haunting the trout-streams, 

 being partial to fish without scales. They are expert swimmers 

 and divers and marvellously swift in movement. A single pair 

 of otters will depopulate an ordinary trout brook in an incredibly 

 short time. They are now rare this side the upper Coos mead- 

 ows. Their fur is very valuable. 



Mink, Patorins vison. This fur-bearing animal belongs to the 

 weasel family and is- carnivorous. It is semi-aquatic and makes 

 its burrow usually in the bank of a river or brook. Lines of 

 traps were laid along the Merrimack, Piscataquog, Black Brook 

 and their tributaries, and along other streams to the north, by 

 down-country trappers, many years before any permanent occu- 

 pation or settlement. The "Mink Hills" in Salisbury received 

 their name more than one hundred and sixty years ago. The 

 animals most sought after were the beaver, otter, fisher-cat and 

 mink, but the traps were sometimes sprung by less desirable 

 creatures. Mink skins were early esteemed and even passed 

 current in lieu of money for many years. The mink is here 

 practically extinct, though stray specimens are occasionally met. 

 They are also fond of trout and will travel long distances to 

 obtain them. The late Bradbury P. Cilley had for years a small 

 trout-pond on his premises at the corner of Amherst and Walnut 

 streets. These fish, which had attained good size, disappeared 

 in a night. The owner supposed some one had caught them 

 with line and hook, until the real culprits were discovered to be 

 a pair of minks. These had made their way along the course of 

 Mile brook, which ran for a distance of many blocks in a closed 

 culvert through a thickly settled part of the city. The outlet of 



