THE OREGON SPORTSMAN 147 



old and young mink are very playful, and seem to take great 

 delight in chasing each other up and down the bank of a stream, 

 or swimming and diving in the water, sometimes keeping it up 

 for considerable time. They are good climbers, but hunt mainly 

 on the ground, and can run swiftly. Their long, slim, graceful 

 bodies allow them to run in and out of all sorts of nooks and 

 crannies in search of food. 



One day as the writer was slowing coasting along. near shore 

 in a launch on Tillamook Bay, two mink were surprised as we 

 rounded a point, and instead of diving as is their usual habit 

 under similar circumstances, both mink swam to a nearby log 

 that was leaning almost perpendicular against the high bank, 

 and they ran up that log as nimbly as two squirrels. 



The mink is one of the most valuable fur-bearers, and annu- 

 ally large numbers of their skins are sold in the fur markets. 

 * During the fur season of 1913-14 two thousand four hundred and 

 sixty-six skins were reported from trappers in Oregon. These 

 were sold for $7824.58, making an average of $3.25% each. Of 

 course this is not the total number of mink caught in the state 

 The greater number of these skins came from the coast counties, 

 Tillamook and Columbia counties providing the greater number 

 of skins. Eastern Oregon skins bring a higher price to the trap- 

 per. Lake county skins last winter average $3.90 each as com- 

 pared to $2.85 in Lincoln county. Tillamook county skins aver- 

 aged a little over $3.00 each. 



DISCOVERY OF THE TREE MOUSE 



(Phenacomys longicaudus — True.) 



BY 



VERNON BAILEY 



Biological Survey, Washington, D. C. 



Twenty-five years ago Mr. Aureleus Todd, of Eugene, Ore- 

 gon, sent to the National Museum a new species of mouse from 

 Marshfield, Coos count}^, near the coast of Oregon, and with it 

 an interesting letter on habits. He called it the Tree Mouse, and 

 said that it built nests in the branches of Douglas spruce trees. 

 He had then seen but two of the mice. The next year he sent 

 another skin and skull to the Biological Survey from Meadows 



