MODE OF CAPTURE. 217 
whilst he was walking on the border of a wood, 
near a stream, a small animal which he sup- 
posed to be a black squirrel, rushed from a tuft 
of grass, and ascended a tree. After gaining a 
Seat on a projecting branch, it peeped down at 
the intruder on its haunts, when he shot it, and 
picking it up, ascertained that it was a mink. 
We think, however, that this animal is not 
often seen to ascend a tree, and these are the 
only instances of its doing so, which are known 
to us. 
This species is a good swimmer, and like the 
musk-rat, dives at the flash of a gun; we have 
observed, that the percussion-cap now in general 
use is too quick for its motions, and that this in- 
vention bids fair greatly to lesson its numbers. 
When shot in the water, the body of the mink, 
as well as that of the otter, has so little buoy- 
ancy, and its bones are so heavy, that it almost 
invariably sinks. 
The mink, like the musk-rat and ermine, does 
not possess much cunning, and is easily -cap- 
tured in any kind of trap; it is taken in steel- 
traps and box-traps, but more generally in what 
are called dead-falls. It is attracted by any 
kina of flesh, but we have usually seen the traps 
baited with the head of a ruffed grouse, wild 
duck, chicken, jay, or other bird. The mink is 
exceeilingly tenacious of life, and we have found 
ly 
