HOME LIFE OF THE MUSKRAT 
mud, and grass, and forms a heap the size and appearance of a 
small haycock, or else is dug out of the bank of a stream or pond 
as a burrow, the entrance to which is under water. Where 
there is an extensive swamp, or stretch of shallow water, so 
that the houses will not be ordinarily exposed to wandering 
enemies, muskrats 
seem to prefer 
them; but where 
they live in or 
about a narrow 
stream, with little 
swamp, the bank 
burrow is the 
usual shelter. This 
is sometimes only 
a few feet in 
length, and often 
has a _ concealed 
land entrance as 
well as a subaqueous one. The houses are always entered 
through the basement from water deep enough not to freeze to 
the bottom in winter; and are usually swept away by the spring 
freshets, so that a new one must be erected each autumn. 
The muskrat is omnivorous, eating roots (especially of the 
pond lily), fruits, vegetables, insects, worms, mollusks, etc., 
and is especially fond of sweet corn and apples, in search of 
which it often wanders far from its home, and finds its way 
occasionally into barns and cellars. In some localities fresh- 
water mussels are a favorite article of food, and large 
heaps of the empty shells are sometimes found near musk- 
rat burrows, due to their preference for dining day after 
day in the same place. In some places, and _ irregularly, 
probably, they store up in their habitations considerable 
quantities of apples, lily roots and similar provender. 
437 
ped 
4 
Va 
Wy 
Brownell, Phot 
THE AMERICAN MUSKRAT. 
