TEE MUSKRAT. 47 



jack or drowning-pole for the rat as the trap 

 will soon choke or squeeze it to death. 



Skin the rat by starting the knife in the 

 center of the lower lip, split the hide for two 

 or three inches, skin around the head and 

 take the hide off whole. Stretch the skin on 

 the rat stretcher described on page 26, letting 

 the round end go in the skin and making it 

 fast with three or four tacks. 



