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AMERICAN FORESTRY 



various parts of the country. Among these may be 

 mentioned that curious mole known as the star-nosed 

 mole, which has a form very much like the common 

 mole, but differs from it through having a conspicuous 

 circlet of pale, flesh-colored, flexible, and fleshy filaments 

 around the end of its nose. What these are for it is hard 

 to say ; although, should they be very sensitive, it is quite 

 likely they aid the animal in discovering its food, which 

 consists largely of angling-worms, as well as to detect 

 the nature of the material or soil ahead of it, as it 

 rapidly burrows in the mire of the marsh where it lives. 

 One is sure to meet a number of different kinds of 

 snakes from time to time in our swamps and marshes. 



the swamp," he says, "we followed the stream. Con- 

 ditions were found to be in favour of snake-hunting. 

 The stream was very low, owing to a drought, and in 

 stretches here and there was little more than a series 

 of pools, connected by trickling courses of water. The 

 banks of these pools were sandy, and progress into the 

 swamp was comparatively easy in consequence. Not 

 long after starting into the growth, we spied the first 

 moccasin. It was a large specimen, sunning on a log 

 that projected from the water. This snake was stalked 

 cautiously, and a noose, on the end of a very slim pole, 

 was passed over its neck 'before it took alarm. The 

 reptile was pulled quickly upon firm ground, where its 



THE MUS 



Muskrats live in ponds and marshes, as well as along the banks of rivers, streams, and dykes where the latter stay the flow of waters. 

 They dig burrows in river banks, while in marshes and reedy ponds they construct nests. Next to the beaver they are one of the largest 

 of our rodents. 



Some of these are quite harmless, while, upon the other 

 hand, the "cotton-mouth" or water moccasin is one of 

 the most venomous snakes we have in this country ; they 

 are particularly abundant in the swamps of the Southern 

 States. The writer collected quite a number of these 

 snakes alive in southern Louisiana many years ago, 

 some of them measuring over four feet in length; one 

 would stand but little chance for his life were he bitten 

 by one of these, with no aid at hand. 



Doctor Ditmars once had a great hunt for these moc- 

 casins in Black Swamp, 'located in Hampton County, 

 South Carolina, where the cane grew over eight feet in 

 height, and the snakes were there in plenty. "On entering 



head was pinned down with a stick, when it was grasped 

 by the neck and placed in a bag. In stepping over a 

 fallen tree, the guide had a narrow escape. Coiled par- 

 tially under the trunk was another moccasin, which, 

 suddenly surprised, drew back its head, opened its mouth, 

 and prepared to strike ; but before it could do so the man 

 leaped to safety." Doctor Ditmar's account of this fam- 

 ous snake is one of the best that has ever been published, 

 and the reproductions from photographs of the living 

 snakes are sufficient to send the creeps down the spine 

 of any one who chances to stand in particular dread of 

 this class of snakes, the bite of an old one of which is 

 usually fatal in about twenty minutes. They are called 



