286 MAMMALIA. 



while so engaged. He further stated that the Muskrat is very de- 

 structive to nets, destroying the fishermen's fykes by scores, by 

 entering them in quest of fishes and then tearing the nets in order 

 to escape. 



Dr. A. K. Fislier said that at Sing Sing, New York, he had often 

 known Muskrats to enter fykes, sometimes drowning, but oftener 

 escaping by gnawing the meshes, thus doing considerable injury to 

 the nets. He supposed the\- entered the nets because placed in 

 their line of travel. He further stated that lu^ knew that fykes made 

 of fine wire were used with success in capturing these animals. 



Mr. Wm. H. Dall, the well-known Alaskan explorer, now of the 

 Coast Survey, in response to inquiry has kindly favored me with the 

 following: "In 1863, I visited Kankakee, Illinois, on a collecting 

 tour for river mollusks, in July. You know how the Muskrats throw 

 up mounds of the shells they dig out I examined many of these 

 for Unios, etc. On several I saw the skeletons of fish (chiefly suck- 

 ers I believe) partly or wholly denudc^d of their flesh, and showing 

 the marks of Muskrat (or at least rodent) teeth. I also saw the shell 

 of a common mud turtle, so gnawed and in the same situation. I 

 did not see the animal in the act of feasting, which I believe is chiefly 

 done at night, but I have no doubt that the fish and turtle were eaten 

 by the Muskrat, as well as the mollusks associated with them in the 

 same pile." 



Under date of March 5th, 1884, I have received from Dr. Fisher, 

 the most valuable record yet obtained concerning the habit in (ques- 

 tion. Dr. Fisher writes : " A few days since, two young men were 

 fishin<T through the ice for pickerel, with live bait, at Croton Lake, 

 Westchester County, N. Y, Several times they were troubled by 

 havino- one of the lines pulled violently off the bush and run out to 

 its full length. Finally they saw the line start again, and by pulling 

 it up quickly they landed a large Muskrat on the ice." Here is an 

 authentic instance where a Muskrat has actually captured a live fish 



