110 MUSK-RAT. 



Reader ! if you are a native of, or have sojourned in any portion, almost, 

 of our continent, and have interested yourself in observing the " beasts of 

 the field " in our woods or along our streams, to the slightest degree, you 

 have probably often seen the Musk-Rat — or should you have been confined 

 to the busy marts of commerce, in our large cities ; j'ou may even there 

 have seen his skin, and thought it a beautiful fur. It is, in fact, when 

 the animal is killed in good season, superior to very many other 

 materials for making beaver (?) hats, as well as for other purposes, and 

 thousands of Musk-Rat skins are annually used in the United States, 

 while still greater numbers are shipped to Europe, principally to Great 

 Britain. 



This species is nocturnal, and consequently its manners and customs 

 cannot be correctly ascertained from the occasional glimpses of it, which 

 we obtain by day-light, as it may chance to pass rapidly through the 

 ^\'ater, seeking to conceal itself under the root of some large tree project- 

 ing into the deep pool, or as it dives suddenly to the mouth of its hole 

 under the shelter of the steep or over-hanging bank of the stream, into 

 which it hastily retires, when our appearance has alarmed it. 



We have often, in the northern part of the State of New York, or on the 

 Schuylkill, or near Frankford, in Pennsylvania, gone, during the day, to 

 look for, and observe these animals, to places where we knew they 

 abounded ; but although we might patiently wait for hours, with book in 

 hand to beguile the time, we could rarely see one, and should one appear, 

 it \vas only for an instant. But at such places, so soon as the last rays of 

 the setting sun have ceased to play upon the smooth water, and when 

 the last bright sparkling tints he has thrown as a " farewell till to-mor- 

 row," upon rock tree and floweret, are succeeded by the deep quiet-gray 

 of twilight ; the placid surface of the stream is agitated in every direction, 

 and many a living creature emerges from its diurnal retreat, and may be 

 observed in full activity above or beneath the water, and first to 

 appear is the Musk-Rat — which may perchance dart out from un- 

 derneath the very old stump, on which we have been so patiently 

 seated! We are perhaps startled by an unexpected noise and plash 

 — and two seconds after, up comes the head of the animal to the 

 surface, at least five yards ofi"— and, if we happen not to be observed, 

 we may look on, and see him swimming merrily with his compa- 

 nions, or seeking his " breakfast," for his day has just begun ! 



When we were about seventeen years of age, we resided on our 



