24 . THE TRAPPER'S ART. 



country there are two varieties, which some naturahsts have 

 supposed were distinct species ; one small, dark-colored, com- 

 mon in the Northern and Eastern States and Canada ; the 

 other larger, with lighter-colored, coarser, and less valuable 

 fur, common in the Western and Southern States. The dark- 

 colored variety measures from eleven to eighteen inches in 

 length from the nose to the root of the tail, and has a tail from 

 six to ten inches in length. The European and Asiatic Mink 

 is a distinct species. 



Mink are ramblers in their habits, except in the breeding 

 season. They feed on fish, frogs, snakes, birds, mice, and 

 muskrats ; and the hen-roost frequently suffers from their dep- 

 redations. They are very fond of speckled trout, and pretty 

 sure to find out the streams where those fish abound. Their 

 breeding season commences about the last of April, and the 

 females bring forth from four to six at a litter. The young 

 are hid by the mother till they attain nearly half their growth, 

 as the males of this species, as well as of the marten, fisher, 

 weasel, panther, and most carnivorous animals, destroy their 

 young when they can find them. 



Mink can be taken in steel-traps, either on land or in the 

 water. Experts generally prefer to take them on land. The 

 trap should be set near the bank of a stream. If one of their 

 holes cannot be found, make a hole by the side of a root or a 

 stump, or anywhere in the ground. Three sides of the cavity 

 should be barricaded with stones, bark, or rotten wood, and 

 the trap set at the entrance. The bait may be fish, birds, or 

 the flesh of the muskrat, cut in small pieces ; and it should 

 be put into the cavity beyond the trap, so that the animal will 

 have to step over the trap in taking the bait. The trap should 

 be concealed by a covering of leaves, rotten vegetation, 

 or, what is better, the feathers of some bird. In very cold 

 weather the bait should be smoked to give it a stronger smell. 



Mink can be attracted long distances by a scent that is pre- 

 pared from the decomposition of eels, trout, or even minnows. 

 These fishes are cut in small pieces, and put into a loosely- 

 corked bottle, which is allowed to hang in the sunshine for 

 two or three weeks in summer, when a sort of oil is formed 



