Mink 
Range. Northern parts of North America, south in the Allegha- 
nies to Pennsylvania and probably to North Carolina. In 
the lowlands to Florida the minks belong to slightly differ- 
ent varieties. 
The mink is endowed with boundless resources in the face 
of danger as well as in the matter of getting a living. Wander 
where he will day or night, it is of small consequence whether 
the enemy that attacks him is fox, dog, wildcat, otter or owl, 
he is always within a couple of jumps of some place of refuge. 
If the water is near, he dives without a splash, and darts away 
like a fish, almost as much at home as the fish themselves in 
the swirling depths of the eddies and dim passages beneath 
sunken logs and drift-wood, only coming to the surface here and 
there for a breath until the enemy is left hopelessly behind. 
When the water is not within reach, he can go up the 
nearest tree like a squirrel, or dart into any hole or crevice that 
would hide a rat; and lacking this, can out-run and out-dodge 
any ordinary pursuer: for, though short of leg, his body is long, 
and so supple that he uses the entire length of his spine in 
running, doubling himself into the form of a hoop and straight- 
ening out again at every jump with incredible swiftness. 
I have seen him show such speed on numerous occasions 
that I have little doubt that the swiftest hawk or fox would 
have to do his very best and be lucky in the bargain in 
order to catch him. As a last resort he can fight, as many an in- 
cautious creatuie several times his size has learned to its cost. 
Referring to the mink’s faculty for hiding anywhere they 
may chance to be, I have seen them disappear instantly among 
the dry oak leaves that carpet the open where hardwood grows, 
and they will do the same thing in short thin grass or shallow 
snow with a suddenness that leaves the beholder wondering. 
At such times, if they deign to show themselves again, it will 
in all probability be several rods at least from where they dis- 
appeared, and then perhaps only for the briefest glimpse. 
Only yesterday I was sitting beneath a sheltered bank, 
warmed by the thin sunlight of late November and well out of 
the reach of the roaring north wind, when I heard a rustling 
among the leaves eight or ten rods away. Looking toward the 
sound, I saw, just for an instant, a beautiful little female mink 
with the sun full on her back, then saw only the russet coloured 
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