THE MINK. 209 



ever, disposed to allow the mink to carry on the 

 sport long, and therefore straightway repairs to 

 the house for his gun, and if it be loaded and ready 

 for use, (as it always should be in every well- 

 regulated farm-house,) he speedily returns with 

 it to watch for the reappearance of the mink, 

 and shoot him ere he has the opportunity to 

 depopulate his poultry -yard. The farmer now 

 takes a stand facing the retreat into which the 

 mink has carried his property, and waits patient- 

 ly until it may please him to show his head 

 again. This, however, the cunning rogue will 

 not always accommodate him by doing, and he 

 may lose much time to no purpose. Let us in- 

 troduce you to a scene on our own little place 

 near New York. 



There is a small brook, fed by several springs 

 of pure water, which we have caused to be stop- 

 ped by a stone dam to make a pond for ducks 

 in the summer and ice in the winter ; above the 

 pond is a rough bank of stones through which 

 the water filters into the pond. There is a little 

 space near this where the sand and gravel have 

 formed a diminutive beach. The ducks descend- 

 ing to the water are compelled to pass near this 

 stony bank. Here a mink had fixed his quarters 

 with certainly a degree of judgment and audacity 

 worthy of high praise, for no settlement could 

 promise to be more to his mind. At early dawn 

 18* o 



