216 AUDUBON THE NATURALIST. 
of them; both parties, having seemingly entered 
into a truce at a time when their lives seemed 
equally in jeopardy, were apparently disposed 
peaceably to await the falling of the waters that 
surrounded them. 
This species prefers taking up its residence ca 
the borders of ponds and along the banks of 
small streams, rather than along large and broad 
rivers. It delights in frequenting the foot of 
rapids and waterfalls. When pursued, it flies 
for shelter to the water, an element suited to its 
amphibious habits, or to some retreat beneath 
the banks of the stream. It runs tolerably well 
on high ground, and we have found it on sev- 
eral occasions no éasy matter to overtake it, and 
when overtaken, we have learned to our cost, 
that it was rather a troublesome customer about 
our feet and legs, where its-sharp canine teeth 
made some uncomfortable indentations; neither 
was its odour as pleasant as we could have de- 
sired. It is generally supposed that the mink 
never resorts to a tree to avoid pursuit; we 
have, however, witnessed one instance to the 
contrary. In hunting for the ruffed-grouse, we 
observed a little dog that accompanied us, bark- 
ing at the stem of a young tree, and on looking 
up, perceived a mink seated in the first fork, 
about twelve feet from the ground. Our friend, 
the late Dr. Wright, of Troy, informed us that 
