Idaho news. (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1887-1891, 1888-10-20
TRAPPED FOR HIS FUR.
something About the Aiusisrnt and
low lie Lives.

] NADRNt Ahb rat aHC
How lie Lives.
AS no one class OF fur Is m ore in use
than the mnskrat (under more preten.
tious names).a few notes on the habits
ana manners Of life of this animal may
not DO unlnteresting. The muskraL
generally called mushraL frequenls all
our streams and creeks and, being an
animal Of great adapta bility, 10 equally
al home In the pond, creek, marsh or
beaver meadow. varying its habits to
meet the requirements OF the locality
ID which he may bs liV ng. The musk
rat is somewhat smaller and not unlike
10 shape The grounding, being how.
ever. much sleeker and minus the
bushy tail In color he Is grayish
brown. ears small. set we'll back on
the head. and serving INN much better
Than his efes. | huYe often allowed
them TO swim right within few feet
OF me- ia full sight when the break ing
u twig or light splash would send
lhen under says correspondent of
lie Toronto Globe. The feet are
neatly and deicately formed, be inc
webbed TOR sw mining and armed with
very serylceable claws for bIrrowing
The most peculiar feature, however.
i the tail. which Is of shape and
style quite bis own. IL is eight or
y ne inches Ia length, quite deyo d Of
/ anN thing IN the way of hair, saving a
LITTLE short stubby growth. and is
4 quite nat lying with the edges up and
/ uoMh IN the water, and ans wers as
fuldor most admirably. When he Is
stating IA pond he likes to make
some hollow floating log or empty
stump his headquarters III these are
not just available, he will burrow ia
some clay part OF the bank, al being
the next easiest way OF getting a house.
IL in marsh or meadow he runs his
bnrrow few feet back from the creek.
or some pool having connection with
II. the rear OF tile burrow being aboye
water level, often within a few inches
OF tho surface OF the ground, the en-
| trance being under water There are
GENERALLY Two or three approaches to
tue bnrro@. SO that in case danger is
suspected NJ one be has the choice of
the others. They breed generally
three times during the season, that S
between early spring aud fall. two or
three being produced at a litter. As
| long rs The yonag rats are unable TO
support themselves the parents are
very ass duuus in supplying their
wants. bat as soon as they are cnnsid.
cred able 10 forage for themselves they
are hnstlcd out of lhe old home with
scant ceremony. aud as rule with
bod ~ violence on The part of the old
couple. Their food consists of sinss
CLANS. fish. etc. and such soft roots us
nra found 10 their vicinity, Whether
1t is that the nrskrau lind bass more
tOOthsoms or more easily caught than
any other iisli cannot say, but the
bon9s OF that iish are always found in
greater numbers around their houses
than those Of any other fish. As cold
weather comes on they prepare for il
By select NJ some hollow log or stump,
or 4 these cannot be had they bu III "a
house on some stump above water of
weeds and STICKS very roughly thrown
together, aud ia these places Law up q
stock VI food for winter. In marshes
and meadows they select some little
knoll IN the water. put up their house
among the grass aud lay in the r
stock. These houses are generally
eighteen inches or two feet in height |
and reflect very little credit on tho
muskrat as builder. his architectural
powers being long way behind those
OF ilis clever cousin. the beaver. Whom |
the waters arr closed with ice he takes |
to bis house aud is no more seen until |
the Ieugthcning days OF spring promise !,
him en early release. AT that time he |
may occasionally be seen sitting on the 4
leo Mt the edge OF some air-hole bask- 4
ing ia the sun, or perhaps looking about 4
Tor some poss Die morsel for n IS sharp
ening appetite But II is not easy get
ting close 10 him. as he 5 quite shy
after his long seclusion aud is very sus-
pic Gus at first As soon as the waters
are free Of ice they make the utmost
use OF their liberty. and morning aud
evening can be seen in great numbers
in the ponds SWIMMING TO aud fro,
leaving, like small ships. long wake
in the still waters behind them. One
verr peculiar characteristic OF this an
imal Is that If no happens to be SWIM
ming about during the day he IS very
easily alarmed. but on coming out ia
the evening he becomes quite ndiifer-
eut to danger aud will stand lots of
stone throwing before being persuaded
10 abandon his course whereas during
the day the first stone sends HIM down
Ia tue most uudigniIied alarm. Trap
pors begin TO catch them In October
and on until the streams close up, aud
again as soon as the river breaks up
il the spring for = few weeks until the
weather becomes too warm. The fur
Is most valuable in the early spring.
sut turns very rapidly after he comes
,at OF his house Some idea of the
rast amount OF muskrat fur used may
be- had when statistics show that there
ire more pelts of this one animal
brought every year to market IN this
country. than OF al other fur-bearing
,nimals put together As we hear very
title Of Inuskrat fur IN made up con-
ltion, the wonder is what becomes OF
/ ALL II is turned over 10 the furr en-,
md in his hands the best of IL goes in
or low grade of otter and plucked
,eavor and of the less valuable skins
most OF our cheap caps and lighter furs
Ira fnaua