THE MINK. 209 
ever, disposed to allow the mink to carry ou the’ 
sport long, and therefore straightway repairs to 
the house for his gun, and if it be loaded and ready 
for use, (as it always should be in every well- 
regulated farm-house,) he speedily returns with 
it to watch for the reappearance of the mink, 
and shoot him ere he has the opportunity to 
depopulate his poultry-yard. The farmer now 
takes a stand facing the retreat into which the 
mink has carried his property, and waits patient- 
ly until it may please him to show his head 
again, This, however, the cunning rogue will 
not always accommodate him by doing, and he 
may lose much time to no purpose. Let us in- 
troduce you to a scene on our own little place 
near New York. 
There is a small brook, fed by several springs 
of pure water, which we have caused to be stop- 
ped by a stone dam to make a pond for ducks 
in the summer and ice in the winter; above the 
pond is a rough bank of stones through which 
the water filters into the pond. There is a little 
space near this where the sand and gravel have 
formed a diminutive beach. The ducks descend- 
ing to the water are compelled to pass near this 
stony bank. ‘Here a mink had fixed his quarters 
with certainly a degree of judgment and audacity 
worthy of high praise, for no settlement could 
promise to be more to his mind. At early dawn 
18* e 
