S4f ANIMALS IN 3IENAGERIES. 



frozen. "When irritated, it exhales, next to the skunk^ 

 the most fetid smell of any animal in the fur countries : 

 this odour resides in a fluid, secreted by two glands 

 situated behind. "Wlien in the water it betrays no 

 timidity, since it will approach a canoe, as if from cu- 

 riosity ; but the moment it perceives the flash of a gun, 

 or any unusual movement, it instantly dives. 



In confinement the minx is easily tamed, and is ca- 

 pable of strong attachment. In this state it is observed 

 to sleep much in the day, and to be fond of warmth. 

 Dr. Richardson mentions one which he saw in the pos- 

 session of a Canadian woman, and which passed the day 

 in her pocket, looking out occasionally when its attention 

 was roused by any unusual noise. Like the cat, how- 

 ever, this animal is easily offended, and will, on a sudden 

 provocation, bite those who are most kind to it, not- 

 withstanding its fondness for being caressed. 



The fur, although very fine in texture, is so short as 

 to be of little value as an article of commerce ; so great 

 is the influence of fashion in preferring appearance to 

 use. Dr. Richardson even says, that at many of the re- 

 mote stations of the Hudson's Bay company, these skins 

 are taken by the traders from the Indians, merely to 

 accommodate the latter, and afterwards burnt, because 

 they will not repay the expense of carriage ! How 

 many hundreds of the lower orders of people in this 

 country might be made comfortable by these skins, were 

 they permitted to be sent us free of duty ? 



The size is less than that of the pine marten, but, 

 from the great length of its neck, it is nearly as long. 

 The fur is of two sorts, — one a very dense down, the 

 other composed of longer and stronger hairs ; these 

 latter form a smooth shining coat of a chocolate or 

 umber brown colour, and completely conceal the down 

 beneath: the head and the belly are paler; and the 

 lower jaw is white, with a narrow brown mark at the 

 end. The whiskers are shorter than the head, and are 

 remarkably strong. 



