465 



observe the great strength it possesses. Dr. Merriam 

 cites an instance where a Mink "was known to drag a 

 mallard duck more than a mile, to get it to its hole, 

 where it was joined by its mate." 



The Mink can be easily taken in steel traps or dead- 

 falls; it is remarkably tenacious of life and will live 

 for many hours struggling under the pressure of a 

 pole or log which squeezes its body almost flat. Au- 

 dubon and ]^>achman relate a case where they found a 

 live Mink under a dead-fall with a pole across its body, 

 held down by a weight of one hundred and fifty 

 pounds, beneath which it had struggled for nearly a 

 whole day. The steel trap which is commonly em- 

 ployed for catching Minks should be concealed with 

 ordinary care, and baited with fish, a small bird or the 

 head of either a Pheasant, duck or chicken. 



FISH OIL, ALLURES THE MINK. 



"Professional trapipers," Dr. C. Hart Merriam writes, "find 

 the Mink attracted by the smell of an oil made from fish that 

 have been allowed to decay, in a loosely corked bottle placed 

 in the sun. 



"The odor from this oil is said to be effective at a considerable 

 distance, and a few drops of it will often entice a Mink into 

 the trap when no bait is visible." 



The fo'llowing extracts, taken from letters (m file in 

 our office, and which have been kindly sent us by farm- 

 ers, naturalists and sportsmen, show very clearly the 

 charaeter of depredations done by this animal. 



THE MINK AS A DESTROYER OF POULTRY AND GAME. 



MR. PIERSON, Dy.'^art. Pa.: 



Have known of hundreds of geese, ducks and turkeys and 

 also chickens to be killed by Weasels, Minks, Skunks and 

 Foxes. A Weasel killed thirty-four chickens in one night; a 

 Mink, three ducks in one night; a Fox. two geese in one night: 



.30-TT 



