39 



Its prime character, as compared with its congeners, is its amphibious 

 mode of life. It is as absolutely aquatic in its nature as the Otter, Beaver 

 or Muskrat. It is perfectly at home in the water, which it frequents as 

 much as the land, imitating so perfectly the motion of the Otter as to 

 suggest a small specimen of that species. The body is submerged, the 

 end of the nose appearing at times. It remains long under water, seek- 

 ing its favorite food, frogs, molluscs, crawfish, fish and reptiles. It has 

 not the insatiable propensity to destroy life so characteristic of the Er- 

 mine, not killing, as a rule, more than it eats. Unlike the Ermine, the 

 Mink is not a good climber, and most birds are safe from its attacks. It 

 is detested by the farmer because of its frequent visits to the poultry- 

 yard in search of eggs and chickens. It visits the same yard repeatedly, 

 killing one or two fowls, and sometimes making off with an entire brood 

 of young chickens ; it is not given, however, to the wholesale slaughter- 

 ing common with the Ermine. It destroys the Rabbit, and not unlikely 

 the Muskrat ; it is the enemy of our native rats and mice, the Arvicolas, 

 Hesperomys, Sigmodon and Neotoma, and when' tamed the Mink is an ex- 

 cellent ratter, rapidly exterminating these troublesome pests ; rats will 

 not fight them, but flee at their scent, and if caught yield at once to the 

 Mink, which severs the vessels of the throat so quickly and perfectly as 

 to be scarcely observable. 



The Mink is easily taken, in either steel-traps or dead-falls ; it is very 

 tenacious of life, living many hours under the pressure of a log which 

 presses its body nearly flat. Caught by the leg, it makes no intelligent 

 effort to free itself, but in its senseless fury bites and lacerates the part 

 beyond the grip of the trap. It champs the iron in its rage until its 

 teeth are broken. " The countenance of the Mink, with its short ears, 

 small eyes, piggish snout and formidable teeth, is always expressive of 

 the lower and more brutal passions, all of which are intensified at such 

 times." 



The Mink is frequently tamed, and becomes ordinarily gentle and 

 tractable, f.ut is given to outbursts of anger ; at such times it is no re- 

 specter of persons, but bites miscellaneously. Accounts of their quasi- 

 domestication may be found in " Forest and Stream," (October 22, 1874, 

 and July 2, 1874) 



Mr. Resseque, of Verona, Oneida county, N. Y., secured a wild, female 

 Mink in 1867, which proved so prolific that his stock has, on some occa- 

 sions, amounted to ninety individuals, besides many sold from time to 

 time for " ratters." He finds a ready market for them at $30 per pair. 



Messrs Phillips and Woodcock, of Cancadea, N. Y., breed the Mink for 

 its fur. The expense of feeding is but nominal, and the profits are coa 



