LAKE DWELLERS. 191 



as if made by a cart-wheel, where the animal must have 

 thrown itself on its belly and slid along the surface for 

 several yards. 



THE FISHER, Black Cat, or Pecan (Mustela Pen- 

 nantii), the largest of the tree martens, a somewhat 

 fox-like weasel, which lives almost constantly in trees, 

 is another dweller by lake shores, though not in the 

 least aquatic in its habits, and, not being piscivorous, 

 quite unentitled to the name first given. Its general 

 colour is dark brown with uncertain shades, a dorsal 

 line of black, shining hair reaching from the neck to the 

 extremity of the tail. The hair underneath is lighter, 

 with several patches of white. The eye is very large, 

 full and expressive. 



The skin possesses about the same value as that of the 

 otter. Squirrels, birds and their eggs, rabbits and grouse, 

 contribute to its support. The Indians all agree as to its 

 alleged habit of attacking and killing the porcupine. 

 " The Old Hunter " informs me that " it is a well-known 

 fact that the fisher has been often — very often — trapped 

 with its skin and flesh so filled with quills of this animal 

 that it has been next to an impossibility to remove the 

 felt from the carcass. In my wanderings in the woods in 

 winter time, I have three times seen, where they have 

 killed porcupine, nothing but blood, mess, and quills, 

 denoting that Mr. F. had partaken of his victim's flesh. I 

 searched, but could not find any place where portions of 

 the animal might have been hidden ; this would have 

 been a circumstance of course easy to ascertain on the 

 snow. Now what could have become of that for- 

 midable fi2:htinof tail and the bones ? I know that a 



