LITTLE BEASTS OF FIELD AND WOOD 



their tracks, meandering about in a purposeless 

 manner, as if they were only out for the air. 



The various openings broaden and extend 

 their boundaries, and run together until the ice 

 is reduced to a rapidly diminishing border along 

 each bank. So long as the streams are kept full by 

 the melting snow and the spring rains, the musk- 

 rats are somewhat restricted in their choice of 

 landing-places, and every projecting fence-rail 

 and stump, or leaning willow-tree, is taken advan- 

 tage of As the water recedes, they resort to the 

 tussocks, as fast as these are uncovered ; and when 

 the stream is finally confined again to its original 

 channel, they make their feeding-places beneath 

 the roots of trees close to the water, or on pieces 

 of driftwood still partly afloat, or in hollows in 

 the bank, having wholly resumed their summer 

 habits. They often travel for long distances 

 under water, sticking their noses out from time 

 to time, with a sneeze, for a new supply of air, 

 which is obtained in considerably less than a 



178 



