FOREST AND STREAM 
687 
The Habitants of the Reed Domes 
One of the best known and most closely 
pursued of our native American fur-bearing 
animals is the muskrat, known also under the 
term, musquash. The popularity of this little 
habitant of the reed domes is best gathered 
through the millions of hides that yearly pour 
into the fur markets from every nook and cor¬ 
ner of this continent, contributions coming from 
practically every section of Canada, and reach¬ 
ing more or less in numbers to its limits at 
the Mississippi River, though west of the river 
they are also found fairly numerous, but the 
greatest extent of the trapping, is done in the 
East and the great Northwest. Every swamp of 
any size is sure to have its quota; no matter 
if civilization does crowd in upon them, they 
exist right under the eyes of the people. The 
muskrat is an animal that has been able to 
adapt itself to the influx of the human family, 
and hold its own, despite the rigorous efforts that 
are. yearly put forth to lower the population, 
not in one section, but everywhere. Trappers 
continue their operations, not only during the 
original trapping season, which begins November 
first and extends to the fifteenth of April, but 
trap, disregarding, during the months when the 
little fellows are unprime, often into the late 
spring months when the female rats are bearing 
young, thus causing the yearly death of thous¬ 
ands, in itself a mighty factor in the way of 
destruction. It was said a long time ago that 
it was exactly proper for the trapper to begin 
garnering his pelts when the first month come 
around that had an R in it. Thus September 
is the first and April the last. It is very well 
known by all trappers that this is to a great 
extent but a sham and a misleader. Pelts are 
unprime in September, also October, both having 
R’s in them; but November first finds the pelts 
getting better, though often there will be caught 
a number of pelts partly blue and hence un¬ 
prime, it all depending upon the section of the 
country represented. The muskrat becomes 
prime in the spring, opposite the condition gov¬ 
erning the other fur-bearing animals which be¬ 
come prime in the fall, when t'he first cold 
weather sets in. However, the writer has caught 
hundreds of muskrats in the full of the cold 
weather, same being either pink, or cream col¬ 
ored, on the flesh side, and therefore prime. It 
is indeed a wonder to the present scribe that 
so many boys and men are allowed to promiscu¬ 
ously trap these fur-bearing animals when yet 
they are unprime- Yet this is done—to an alarm¬ 
ing extent. Fur dealers will start in the sum¬ 
mer to caution trappers to wait till the original 
season but still they cannot be checked. Even 
the fact that they do not get half as much for 
their catch does not prevent them from setting 
out their traps in September and in October. In 
the spring they are trapped as late as June, sad 
to relate; it is really a wonder that the musk¬ 
rat family is able to hold its own against these 
wholesale onslaughts, in season and out. How¬ 
ever, it is notable that we are steadily getting 
better laws regarding the protection of fur-bear- 
By Robert Page Lincoln. 
ing animals, but still the movement in the cause 
of justice and humanity is slow, very slow in¬ 
deed. Back in the days when I was connected 
with the staff of “Trapper’s World,” and other 
trapping publications, we were doing our best 
for the animals, cautioning the trappers to use 
humane methods and to remember the true sea¬ 
son. But the laws then are the same now, with 
but a few more added to help things along. 
For instance, however, it is notable that in some 
states you are not allowed to trap or spear the 
muskrats in their houses in the winter months. 
During my trapping days most of our winter 
trapping was done in the houses; it is an in¬ 
humane method to say the least. So little is 
known regarding these methods that I will give 
them here for the perusal of my readers and I 
trust some at least will gain a few insights. 
As I have made note of previously the musk¬ 
rat is one of the most common of the fur-bear¬ 
ing animals of this country. There is not an 
American youth who has lived near any sort of 
a wild territory during his boy days, to whom 
the muskrat has not been a solace and a lure. 
Many a suit of school clothes, and shoes, have 
been purchased from pelt money derived mostly 
from the capture of this animal. The muskrat 
inhabits the swamps and the streams. We have 
two kinds of rats, as far as the situation of their 
homes is concerned. There is the swamp rat 
and the stream rat. The stream rat lives in 
burrows in the bank, the entrance being under 
water, sloping up and into a dry chamber where 
the animals live during the winter in much 
comfort. The stream rat is of a more reddish 
color as concerns the fur, while the swamp rat 
is darker and more uniformly gray-brown. But 
as far as colors in muskrats go I have seen them 
in so many various shades and hues that I will 
render no set opinion. Safe to say they are 
either red-brown or gray-brown. The stream 
rats bring a better price in the fur markets, how¬ 
ever. The muskrat in shape looks very much 
like a diminutive beaver, that tenant of the iron 
barrier. It also has a cousin down in South 
America, known as the coypu rat that very much 
appears like it in shape and color and other 
characteristics. The muskrat is an amphibious 
animal and is always found around water. In 
length, of course, they vary, but about twelve 
inches should be the average; in the fur market 
they are graded small, or kits, medium, and large, 
some extra large, but rarely is this noticeable, 
save now and then when a dealer desires the 
trade of a trapper. The tail of the muskrat 
is about ten inches long, is covered with what 
appears to be scales but which evolution is 
irradicating; probably ages ago the muskrat had 
a tail somewhat on the order of the beaver and 
in this state fulfilled a purpose. Also there are 
scant hairs in evidence upon it. It has no value 
along with the hide; it is chopped off. Notable 
in the makeup of the muskrat are the webbed, 
hind feet, which leads us to believe more than 
ever that it belongs to the beaver family. These 
legs are strong and when speedily propelled will 
carry the owner a great distance from danger, 
if such it be. While the hind feet are power¬ 
ful, more or less long and webbed the front feet 
are small and dainty, looking like those of a 
squirrel and are used almost entirely with which 
to pick up the food when they are consuming 
it. These are not webbed. When the animal 
is swimming these feet are doubled up against 
its breast. Thus the hind feet fill a purpose 
singular indeed. The muskrat has a very trim 
and beautiful head, in fact as beautiful as any 
found among our wild animals- The eyes are 
small and beadlike; when aroused to anger, 
these eyes flash and sparkle. Beware of those 
teeth should they fall upon flesh. These teeth 
are strong and, more or less, like those of the 
beaver, only smaller. They are shaped for gnaw¬ 
ing off roots and reeds, both for sustenence and 
for material used in making their houses. They 
are covered with a yellow enamel, the front 
teeth being flat, two eighths of an inch wide 
and one half an inch long. The upper teeth 
come mostly into service. 
Muskrats are active very little during the 
day, especially when they have their houses 
in ponds near to civilization. But in swamps 
where not deterred in their pursuits and work¬ 
ings, by man, they will be in evidence during 
the daylight hours. At night the muskrat is in 
his element and is then swimming around and 
easily falls prey to the trapper, for the musk¬ 
rat, unlike so many of the wild kindred, possesses 
no degree of shrewdness and cunning, although 
the muskrat’s sense of smell is very sharpened, 
indeed, being able to scent things for a great 
distance. But the knowledge of traps and 
their purpose they seem not in the least to com¬ 
prehend. Perhaps in time Nature will fit them 
out with brains and cunning, equalling that of 
the mink, but it must take decade upon weary 
decade before even a trifle of this becomes 
noticeable. We witness a little of this, however, 
now, in that they are hiding themselves more 
and more from intruding man; you will see 
signs but will find no abode of the little crea¬ 
tures. This points to the fact that they are 
recognizing the necessity for wits and keenness 
to meet the unceasing attention of man, the 
hated. But they are very simply caught, often 
as not, too easily. One of the most principal 
characteristics of the little muskrat is its power 
to swim under water for great distances; the 
lungs are filled and the air is held till the pressure 
becomes too dense when he will rise for air, 
dive down and repeat the performance, keeping 
thus on his way. Swimming under water they 
make wonderful time and it is marvelous in¬ 
deed, as any student will vouch. In the winter 
they also swim in the water, under the ice, and 
here we are given an even more marvelous dis¬ 
play of the muskrat’s adaptability to conditions. 
When the pressure becomes to heavy on his 
lungs he will arise and will blow a bubble, or 
bubbles, with the air that is poured out from 
his lungs, against the ice, and will inhale this 
again from the bubbR or bubbles when Nature 
asserts itself to the need. Thus he is able to 
keep on for great distances and is always out 
of sight, rarely indeed seen in the winter time 
save when there happens to be a thaw and the 
