518 



I{RP0R1' OF S'PATK 0 K()L()(! fST. 



Hahits. — It seems to me the word versatile" is appropriate 

 in describing the habits of this animal. With habits in the prime- 

 val state essentially like those of the beaver, the muskrat has 

 thrived and multiplied with the settlement of the country, whereas 

 the beaver disappeared early before advancing civilization. 



Although the valuable fur of the beaver aroused the greed of 

 man to a greater extent than the more humble coat of the muskrat, 

 the latter animal has been trapped, shot and otherwise persecuted 

 almost incessantly. Nevertheless he has profited by the destruc- 

 tion of his natural enemies and he has taken advantage of artificial 

 ponds and canals to extend his habitat. He has even been able 

 to maintain a somewhat precarious existence along the streams 

 within the limits of the larger cities. In his quest for food, he 

 sometimes follows cellar drains and reaches the winter supply of 

 vegetables, thereby putting himself on a par with his despicable 

 cousin, the house rat. But it must be said that such offenses are 

 infrequent. 



Where they have an extensive tract of water and are not too 

 much disturbed, the muskrats build houses similar to those of the 

 beaver. i\Ir. Butler has given the following description of one 

 which was built on a marshy peninsula projecting into a stream 

 near Brookville. "The house was composed chiefly of swamp 

 grass, sedge, coarse weeds and mud, while fresh water algae, small 

 pieces of drift, a few pieces of shingle and two staves were found 

 among the more common material. The greater part of the mud 

 was in the lower part of the house, and I think it was mostly 

 brought in attached to the roots of grass. The ground in the 

 neighborhood of the house was cleared of all vegetation, even of 

 roots, for soin(^ distance. The house was nicely thatched with 

 weeds and sedge. 



"The ground plan was oval in outline, four feet six inches wide 

 and six feet three inches long. On the land side the house was 

 two feet six inches high, and on the water side three feet four 

 inches. Th(^ whole presented the appearance, in miniature, of an 

 o])long hay rick. The inside was quite irregular. Measurements 

 at the bottom of the chamber showed the greatest length to be 22 

 inches, the least 12 inches, with an average width of 16 inches. 

 The greatest height, measuring from the surface of the stream, was 

 one foot. Six inches from the bottom, a shelf was found running 

 from the left of the entrance and above the top of the water. This 

 shelf was 12 inches lono: nnd ei«rht inches wide, and ranged from 

 six to eight inches in height. It w;is nrched over very neatly with 



