THE MUSKRAT. 299 



The Muskrat is not as strictly nocturnal in its habits 

 as the Beaver, and may often be seen swimming in broad 

 daylight. When leaping into the water to dive it makes 

 a loud noise by striking its flat tail against the surface. 

 The burrows of the Muskrat are long, inclining up the 

 bank for ten or fifteen feet before they expand into a 

 chamber with numerous passages, some leading further 

 into the bank, and others opening under the surface of 

 the water. In some sections they construct winter quar- 

 ters or "muskrat huts," which Dr. Merriam describes 

 as follows : 



* ' The summit of the structure is commonly high enough 

 out of water to admit of an air-chamber within, which 

 communicates with the outside world by means of a hole 

 through the center of the mass, the entrance or entrances 

 being under water. Many of the houses contain no mud 

 or sticks, but consist wholly of balls and knots of roots 

 and swamp-grasses. It seems clear that the animals make 

 no attempt to construct a dwelling of any particular 

 shape, but merely heap the materials together without 

 plan or order, the resulting mound naturally assuming, 

 in a general way, the form. of a flattened cone. As the 

 Muskrat feeds on fruits, vegetables and roots, it will be 

 observed the materials of which the hut are composed 

 are such as serve as food for the animals during the long 

 winters; hence the Muskrat 's hut is in reality a store- 

 house, which he devours piecemeal as the winter ad- 

 vances. 



"The nest is usually placed in a burrow in the bank, 

 although occasionally in the aforesaid hut. Here from 

 five to nine blind and naked young are produced at a 

 birth, and it is reported that there may be as many as 

 three litters in the course of a season." 



The Muskrat is one of the commonest quadrupeds of 

 North America, living on the banks of lakes, rivers and 

 pools in every part of the continent. Owing to its nume- 

 rical strength and the many purposes for which its fur is 

 used the Muskrat is as valuable commercially as the ani- 

 mal is common, upwards of five million skins being con- 

 sumed every year. There are two collection of skins an- 

 nually, one in the late fall and another in the spring of 



