152 THE DRAMA OF THE FORESTS 



eddying pools where, no doubt, trout leaped after flies in due 

 season. 



The mink is a small animal, about two feet long, including 

 his tail. In colour he is of a dark, rich brown. Though he is 

 not a swift runner and is rather a poor climber, he is an excel- 

 lent swimmer and is a desperate fighter of great strength. 

 Minks mate in February and March; the female burrowing in a 

 bank, a rocky crevice, or beneath a log or a stump, or perhaps in 

 a hollow tree; the nest is lined with moss, feathers, or grass, and 

 the young are born about forty days after the mating season. 

 The minks' food may be flesh, fish, or fowl and, if overstocked, 

 it is stored for future use. 



On land, the mink is caught exactly as the fox, the fisher, or 

 the marten is caught, except, of course, that there is a difference 

 in the size of the traps. In water, the steel trap is set just be- 

 low the surface and rests on the muddy or sandy bottom, where 

 it is half covered with soil as it lies in readiness close to the bank 

 where the mink is in the habit of passing in and out of the 

 stream. Mixed bait is placed on the branches of the near-by 

 bushes. In order, however, to better his chances of catching 

 the mink, the hunter may build a deadfall near the trap, where 

 the animal is in the habit of entering the bush. Then extra 

 bait of rancid fish or duck is used. This mode of water- 

 trapping applies, also, to muskrat, otter, and beaver. The 

 mink, however, is a stupid creature, and it does not require 

 great skill to trap him; but the hunter, nevertheless, must take 

 care when removing him from the trap, for the little brute 

 has the heart of a lion and will tackle anything, regardless of 

 size. 



We camped that night on the hillside overlooking "Mink 

 Creek" as Oo-koo-hoo called it, and next morning we again 

 set out on our circular way, for on leaving our lodges, we first 

 headed almost due west for about three miles, then we turned 

 south for two more, and gradually working round, we were soon 



