LITTLE BEASTS OF FIELD AND WOOD 



way would be very embarrassing, to say the least. 

 The mink is really the smaller in most instances, 

 but his long snake-like body and wiry muscles 

 give him a decided advantage, and his fondness 

 for muskrat flesh is notorious. This may also in 

 part account for the fact that in winter muskrats 

 rather avoid those shallow portions of the stream 

 that are prevented from freezing by warm springs 

 or a rapid current. 



There is such a place near here, where, for 

 nearly a quarter of a mile, the stream only freezes 

 in the most severe weather, and as a consequence 

 has always been a favorite resort of the minks. 

 But though muskrats are often there at other 

 seasons, there is no trace of them to be found 

 there in winter. Still there must be an exception 

 to every rule, and on the sixth of January I have 

 found the tracks of muskrats in the snow at this 

 place. They had been going back and forth along 

 a little muddy brook near where it joins the main 

 stream. One track struck off by itself, and as it 



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