the: glutton's i:nd (se:e page 784) 



Photo by George Shiras, 3rd 



The same muskrat seizing carrot at edge of the dock before the author could get more 

 than a few feet away from exploding flash. In this picture the animal resembles a miniature 

 grizzly bear. A few days after it died, probably as a result of its carrot debauch. 



per to visit the marshes bordering civili- 

 zation, and soon it will be numbered 

 among the missing or the rare in many 

 parts of the country. 



Largely nocturnal or abroad toward 

 dusk, and then usually in the water, the 

 muskrat is not an easy animal to photo- 

 graph in daytime. In the summer of 

 1910 I concluded that an animal which 

 was so abundant and which had hereto- 

 fore refused to pose for a picture must 

 be sought systematically and with due 

 care. 



Naturally night pictures, with the aid 

 of the baited string, was the plan in 

 mind, and the only question of impor- 

 tance was the kind of bait likely to coax 

 the animals out of water and m a place 

 where the camera could be set and easily 

 examined. As an experiment, celery was 

 put on the logs near the runways, or 

 close to the entrance of the summer 

 homes, in the banks of a stream and 

 marsh near camp. The following night 

 the celery had disappeared; thereupon 



four stakes were driven in the water op- 

 posite a log from which the bait had 

 been taken, while a board was placed on 

 top for the support of the camera. An- 

 other and heavier stake behind held the 

 flashlight apparatus, and from it ran a 

 string to and through an eye-screw in an 

 overhanging branch, with a piece of 

 celery attached to the end. That night 

 the exploding powder was heard and the 

 developed plate showed a chunky musk- 

 rat reaching up for the bait (see page 

 yy^). Every night thereafter the musk- 

 rats came, regardless of weather, and a 

 good set of pictures soon resulted. 



Two seasons later more muskrat pic- 

 tures were taken, but mostly for the pur- 

 pose of showing their recently con- 

 structed winter homes. Instead of cel- 

 ery, carrots were substituted, being taken 

 from a large bed in front of the cabin. 

 Thereafter every muskrat in the vicinity 

 became reckless with delight, and long 

 before dark the flash would be prema- 

 turely fired, necessitating setting it out 



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