Chapter IV 

 Swimmers 

 Mink — Otter 



THE mink closely resembles the otter, but 

 is only about two feet in length. Its 

 habits are similar, but it is much more generally 

 known, the sale of its fur forming no inconsider- 

 able portion of the income of many a trapper 

 and farmer's boy during the winter ; for, unHke 

 its larger relative, it has not yet learned to avoid 

 traps to any great extent. Its food consists 

 largely of earth-worms and fish, especially eels, 

 which it captures in warm springs and mudholes 

 where they are bedded for the winter. I know 

 of one spring under the steep river bank where 

 the minks watch patiently until some unfortunate 

 eel is brought into sight by the constant upward 

 movement of the water, when it is quickly 

 seized and dragged out upon the snow. But 



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