390 Frerp Museum or Natura History — Zoétoey, Vot. XI. 
a chief trader for the Hudson’s Bay Company at many different posts, 
has handled hundreds of Fisher pelts, but never saw one without some 
Porcupine quills in it.” (J. ¢., p. 943.) ‘ 
Dr. C. Hart Merriam says: ‘‘ During a recent visit to the north shore 
of the Gulf of St. Lawrence I was informed, both by an agent of the 
Hudson’s Bay Company and by the trappers themselves, that porcu- 
pines constitute a large and important element in the food supply of the 
Pekan. Mr. Nap. A. Comeau, of Godbout, who secured for me a large 
and handsome male of this species, tells me that its intestine contained 
hundreds of porcupine quills, arranged in clusters, like so many pack- 
ages of needles, throughout its length. In no case had a single quill 
penetrated the mucous lining of the intestine, but they were, apparently, 
passing along its interior as smoothly and surely as if within a tube of 
glass or metal.’’* 
Most authorities agree that the Fisher makes its nest in a hollow 
tree, usually at a considerable distance from the ground, but it has 
been known to breed in hollow logs and rocky crevices. MacFarlane 
tells us that in the northern Mackenzie River district the nest is in a 
; Map illustrating approximate range of Mustela pennanti during the latter part of the last century 
in eastern United States and Canada south of latitude 52°; in the Northwest its range extends at least 
to latitude 60°. At the present time it is unlikely that it occurs south of the Michigan peninsula or 
extreme northern Wisconsin. ; 
*Mamm. Adirondack Reg., 1886, p. 49. 
