the water, slip his slim form into any cranny big enough for a 

 rat, or scuttle quickly away among the grasses, up a tree, or out of 

 sight under the leaves. 



Small fear need he have of the enemies of his own wild sort, 

 but the valuable covering of the nineteen-inch body and the seven- 

 inch, thick, round tail make him well worth taking by human foes 

 and even the able mink falls a prey in large numbers to their de- 

 ceiving traps. The fur, varying in color from a yellowish brown 

 to a very dark brown, is esteemed highly for the glossiness of the 

 outer long hairs and the soft warmth of the underfur. Alaska fur-* 

 nishes the best quality, but wherever found the darker shades al- 

 ways command a good market value. Those skins which are taken 

 in the southern and through the middle west are usually much 

 lighter in color and of far less value. 



121 



