MAMMALIA. 
I 88 
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. Fisher 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 they entered the nets because placed in 
their line of travel. He further stated that he knew that fykes made 
of fine wire were used with success in capturing these animals. 
Mr. Wm. H. Dali, 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,e tc. On several I saw the skeletons of fish (chiefly suck- 
ers I believe) partly or wholly denuded 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 5 th, 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 
fishing through the ice for pickerel, with live bait, at Croton Lake, 
Westchester County, N. Y. Several times they were troubled by 
having 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 
