National opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1865-1874, 1873-11-07
The Muskrat as q Mason.

A soon a. the 6rst irosts nre felt, the
muskrat selects o mud bar. or spo,
where the bushes grow in the winter
often near lilies--as the root OF thi,
plant il a favorite article OF food with
them-and proceed 10 lay Foundation
for their house. Tn the first place they
gnaw Of ut the waters edge a quantity
OF coarse grasses. rushes and small
bushes. Gathering this between the
chin and forepaw. as il carrying the
material in their arms, they push IL no.
fore them where they intend usingit. The
place where they have harvested their
grass and rnshes looks ~ il some one
had moved II with scythe. After the
mnskrats have brought together mate.
rial enough 10 n.he - -oi;d fonndatisu.
and have raised the structure 70 the
waters edge, they dive below and tunnel
underneath il, coming up through the
middle OF the mass. The work is then
carried on from the inside mud, de.
cayed vegetation, moss, and other ma
terial, is carried through this tunnel
and pushed ont from the inside until it
is raised to the right height and roole1
over oras Whittier POLITICALLY describes
il:
/" Tile muskrst piled the n,asonr trade.
And tier by tier his mud walls laid
Inside this hillock small chamber
about foot in diameter il left, ana
here, with solid, compact walls, some.
times two feet thick. the muskrats have
their winter quarters.
Their tunnels give them access TO
the water when the brook is frozen over.
In the winter rap on this nest will
bring one or more of it's inmates out,
and you will see them scatter away on
the bottom of the brook. picking their
way among the stones and roots, leaving
wherever they go, il the brook is frozen
over, line of bubbles under the ice
When nm open space is reached the
creature gently rises to the waters sur
face, and just putting the nose AMI one
eye above water takes an observation
and breath Of fresh air at the same
time, but instantly dives again.
These nests vary in size, and look
quite rough when first buit and nntii
the snow and ram smootbs them off. If
the nest is broken open they immedi-
ately begin repairs, working from the
inside. When the meadows and brooks
are frozen over, the nests appear as if
built on the ice, and sometimes, in the
late winter or spring freshets, the upper
part of the nest is lifted mp and moved,
which would naturally confirm this i'm,
preston: but upon examination it will
he found that the foundation always
rests on the solid ground below.
Last fall the nuskrats, moved by
some freak built nest in the boat
house at Punkapog pond, after the boat
as housed for the season. The foun.
dation Of the nest rested partly on the
floor Of the house, which, owing to the
high water. was submerged and as the
boat was not raised in the house, the
space between it and the floor served
the same purpose as the tunnel they,
unser ordinary circumstances. would
make. All the fishing tackle, and
everything they could manage, was
drawn together to help form their struc-
ture. When the house was opened in
the spring the nest was found. 1t was
that in building it about five
bushels OF material had been brought
in. The tenants were 10th to leave their
quarters, returning again
and again as the work of removing the |
went on.