MUSK-RAT. 113 



tlie water, and many of them may be occasionally seen disporting on a 

 calm night in some mill-pond, or deep sequestered pool, crossing and re- 

 crossing in every direction, leaving long ripples in the water behind them, 

 whilst others stand for a few moments on little knolls or tufts of grass, or 

 on stones or logs, on which they can get footing above the water, or on 

 the banks of the pond, and then plunge one after another into the water ; 

 at times, one is seen lying perfectly still on the surface of the pond or 

 stream, with its body widely spread out, and as fiat as it can be. Sud- 

 denly it gives the water a smart flap with its tail, somewhat in the man- 

 ner of the beaver, and disappears beneath the surface instantaneously — 

 going down head foremost — and reminding one of the quickness and ease 

 with which some species of ducks and grebes dive when shot at. At the 

 distance of ten or twenty yards, the Musk-Rat comes to the surface again, 

 and perhaps, joins its companions in their sports ; at the same time, others 

 are feeding on the grassy banks, dragging off the roots of various kinds of 

 plants, or digging underneath the edge of the bank. These animals thus 

 seem to form a little community of social playful creatui'es, who only re- 

 quire to be unmolested in order to be happy. Should you fire off a fowl- 

 ing-piece, whilst the Musk-Rats are thus occupied, a terrible fright and 

 dispersion ensues — dozens dive at the flash of the gun, or disappear in 

 their holes ; and although in the day-time, when they see imperfectly, they 

 may be shot whilst swimming, it is exceedingly difficult to kill one at 

 night. In order to insure success, the gunner must be concealed, so that 

 the animal cannot see the flash when he fires, even with a percussion lock. 



The burrows, and houses of this species, are not constructed on such ad- 

 mirable architectural principles as those of the beaver, but are, neverthe- 

 less, curious, and well-adapted for the residence of the animal. Having 

 enjoyed opportunities of examining them in several portions of the North- 

 ern States, and having been present when hundreds of Musk-Rats were 

 taken, either by digging them out, or catching them in traps, we 

 will endeavour to describe their nests, and the manner in which 

 the hunters generally proceed in order to procure the animals that 

 are in them. 



In different localities, the Musk-Rat has very opposite modes of 

 constructing its ^vinte^ domicil. Where there are overhanging clayey 

 or loamy banks along the stream or pond, they form a winter retreat 

 in the side of the bank, with openings under the water, and their gal- 

 leries run sometimes to the distance of fifteen or twenty yards from 

 the shore, inclining upward, so as to be above the influence of the 

 high waters, on the breaking up of the ice in spring, or during freshets. 

 There are usually three or four entrances from under the water, which 



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