452 ' The Mink. 



seen it feeding on frogs and cray-fisb. In the Nortbern States 

 we bave often observed it witb a Wilson's meadow-mouse in its 

 moutb, and in Carolina tbe very common cotton-rat furnisbes no 

 small proportion of its food. We have frequently remarked it 

 coursing along tbe edge of the marshes, and found that it was in 

 search of this rat, which frequents such localities, and we discov- 

 ered that it was not an unsuccessful mouser. We once saw a 

 Mink issuing from a hole in the earth, dragging by the neck a 

 large Florida rat." 



" This species has a good nose, and is able to pursue its prey 

 like a hound following a deer. A friend of ours informed us that 

 once while standing on tbe border of a swamp near tbe Ashley 

 river, he perceived a marsh-hare dashing by him ; a moment after 

 came a Mink with its nose near the ground, following the fright- 

 ened animal, apparently by the scent, through the marsh. 



"In the vicinity of Charleston, South Carolina, a ben-house was 

 one season robbed several nights in succession, the owner counting 

 a chicken less every morning. No idea could be formed, how- 

 ever, of the manner in which it was carried off. The building 

 was erected on posts, and was securely locked, in addition to 

 which precaution a very vigilant watch-dog was now put on guard, 

 being chained underneath the chicken-house. Still, the number 

 of fowls in it diminished nightly, and one was as before missed 

 every morning. 



"We were at last requested to endeavour to ascertain the cause 

 of the vexatious and singular abstraction of our friend's chit;kens, 

 and on a careful examination we discovered a small hole in a cor- 

 ner of the building, leading to a cavity between tbe weather- 

 boarding and the sill. On gently forcing outward a plank, we 

 perceived the bright eyes of a Mink peering at us and shining like 

 a pair of diamonds. He had long been thus snugly ensconced, 

 and was enabled to supply himself with a regular feast without 

 leaving the house, as the hole opened toward the inside on the 

 floor. Summary justice Avas inflicted of course on the concealed 

 robber, and peace and secuvity once more were restored in the 

 precincts of the chicken yard. 



"This species is verj^ numerous in the salt-marshes of the South- 

 ern States, where it subsists principally on the marsh-hen, [RaJlus 

 crepitans^ the sea-side finch, {Ammodramus inaritimus,) and the 

 sharp-tailed finch, [A. caudacutus,) which, during a considerable 

 portion of the year, feed on the minute shell-fish and aquatic iu- 



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