A FEL.LOW MAMMAL. 205 



along the bank, water bound. Several times 

 on reaching the margin of a pool I would 

 hear the "plank plunk" of a frog as it rose in 

 air and dived deep close to the protecting shore. 

 In one place bits of grass and rushes, green and 

 succulent, floating upon the water betokened 

 the near presence of another mammal. Soon I 

 espied a brown bunch of fur on a little ledge 

 just at the water's edge. It was a young musk- 

 rat which was furtively eyeing me as I ap- 

 proached. On stepping forward to get a better 

 view he started into the water, but when I 

 paused he waited, then half curved himself up 

 against the bank so as not to attract attention. 

 His small black beady eyes centered themselves 

 upon me as I waited for him to renew his eating. 

 After ten minutes he was still motionless, so I 

 stepped forward. Then with a quick dive and a 

 flirt of the tail he was hidden beneath the sur- 

 face of the water close in shore. 



On I went, trying every promising pool, until 

 at five o 'clock I reached a bridge four miles from 

 camp. Here a buggy was waiting for me and, 

 happy with my catch of thirty or more which 

 filled my bucket to the brim, I was driven to the 

 old farm house, there to pass the night and ex- 

 change fresh fish for fried chicken and other 

 ' 'civilized" foods. 



