190 
MAMMALIA. 
I took hold of its tail during this little scene, and ended the matter 
by giving its head a severe bump on the ground. When I had ac- 
cess to more light I found that it was a full-grown Muskrat of enor- 
mous size. 1 can neither account for its attack nor appearance there. 
The previous summer season had -dried up all the sloughs and there 
was no water in the vicinity. The houses of these animals had been 
deserted for some time previous, and nowhere on the prairies had I 
been able to find one with any inhabitants (they build in the sloughs 
of western prairies extensively). Alone and well away from its most 
natural element it had attacked me without provocation. The mat- 
ter led to an inquiry among the farmers. The general statement 
was to the effect that considerable fun and some trouble was had with 
this species during each hay time, as they did not hesitate, when out 
of the water, to ferociously attack man or beast, with seldom any 
damage. One man related, however, that he received a severe bite 
in the hand from one of them, which laid him up for some time. It 
is either very courageous or very luny.” * 
The most remarkable foray of this kind which has come to my 
knowledge occurred in the city of Charlotte, North Carolina, during 
the evening of March 17th, 1884. It is thus recorded in the Char- 
lotte Observer of March iSth : “ Charlie Fox's adventure with a pack 
of Muskrats on Trade street one night about a year ago, was brought 
vividly to mind last night when several runners came into the Ob- 
server office bringing tidings of three sanguinary battles fought be- 
tween citizens who had encountered bodies of the savage Musquash 
in the streets. It appears that all these fights occurred at 8 o’clock. 
Mr. John Davidson was going home about that hour when he was 
encountered at the corner of Tyron and. Fifth streets, by a large and 
ferocious rat, which he finally killed with a stick. He sent his fallen 
foe to the Observer office for inspection. It was almost as large as a 
’possum. When this fight was going on there was a lively scene on 
Trade street, opposite the mint, where the Muskrats fairly swarmed. 
* The American Naturalist, July. 1880, Vol. XIV, No. 7, p. 524. 
