Trapping on the Farm. 



461 



MINKS. 



Minks are found throughout the greater part of the United 

 States and Alaska. They do not occur in arid regions, as 

 they are dependent on water and are usually found near 

 streams. They feed on fish, frogs, crawfish, and other 

 small animals and birds. Their tracks in snow or sand 

 along streams indicate their presence. They are usually 

 caught in Xo. 1 steel traps set in holes in the banks of small 

 streams or in driftwood, a chicken or rabbit head, a fish, 

 or some muskrat meat being placed in the hole beyond 



Fig. 9. — Sieve Trap for Catching English Sparrows. 



A chip is placed between the end of the prop and the 

 edge of the sieve. When a number of sparrows are eongre- 

 gregated on the bait a quick jerk on the line entraps them. 

 They may then be driven through a small door near one 

 corner of the trap into a box or wire cage. 



the trap. A bait inclosure may be built of sticks or stones 

 where there is no natural cavity. Another plan is to set 

 a trap about an inch under water on the top of a stake or 

 pile of stones between the abutments of a bridge, or between 

 large bowlders or ledges, where it is necessary for minks 

 to swim in following a stream; a fish or meat bait is sus- 

 pended about 10 inches above the trap. 



Mink skins should be cased (see fig. 20) on long, narrow 

 stretchers flesh side out. 



The large northern weasels, brown in summer and white 

 in winter, are sold in the white dress as " ermine," a name 

 originally applied to a similar animal of the Old "World. 

 Only those living in regions having considerable snow turn 

 white in winter, and only the white skins have much value, 

 although brown skins are usually salable at a small price. 



WEASELS. 



