Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-02-08
MUSKRATS OF THE POTOMAC
Queer Habits ofSoms Funny Little Water
Loving Rodents
Dreaded Foes OF the Corn Fields and
vegetable Patches--Though So Cum
ming, They Are Easily Caught.

VIII an appetite Tor the chase, not least
interesting is the muskrat
Muskrats, though timid animals. seek
the neighborhood of human habitations.
They have learned that the presence OF
man assures them an abundance OF food,
while at the same time their natural enc
mics are fewer. Hereabout they flourish,
being to great extent undisturbed. They
are not destroyed by farmers, though in
certain regions they are dreaded enemies
of agriculture. OF corn they are extrava-
gantly fond. They will eat it at any stage
of its growth, taking the seed from the
ground. the young plant from the furrow,
or the roasting ear from the stalk
Corn Thieves.
They visit the corn field at night cutting
down the stalks and carrying away the
juicy ears. At times streams flowing
through bottom lands" where this cereal
is cultivated are fairly covered with float
ing staiks-the result of the nocturnal
forays Of these vermin. In order to make
the fiinty grains tender. they will some
times deposit the ears in water for two
or three days. These animals are fond OF
many kinds Of vegetables, robbing apple
orchards and patches Of turnips and pars-
nips. In winter and early spring they SUBJ
sist in great part on the flesh of river
mussels. Probably they are driven by
hunger to this diet of shellfish
Records Of this habit are preserved in
the banks Of many canals. where alternate
deposits Of shells cleaned by muskrats and
Of sediment may be seen in places reach
ing to a depth Of some feet. The means
by which the animal obtains the musseI
from its shell has been much discussed.
Probably it is often done by inserting the
paws or teeth between the valves and tear
Ing them apart. II the molIusk cannot
be caught unawares. the edges OF the shell
are broken by means of the teeth. The
heavier species Of mussels, II is believed,
are carried out upon the bank and left
until they become weak or die, when the
valves can be easily separated.
Muskrats. you see. are very clever crea-
lures. Farmers attribute to them an ap-
petite for young ducks, but IL is probable
that they are wrongly credited with a
destruction actually committed by turtles.
Easily Captured.
These rodents are very unsuspicious, and
are easily captured Many OF them are
killed by means of poisoned apples or tur-
nips placed near their burrows. One of
the most effective traps for them is a bar
rel without ends placed upright near the
bank Of a stream, so as to be about half
filled with water. Inside of It upon the
water are put grass and weeds, with some
pieces Of parsnips. Every night the barrel
is likely TO capture from one to half
dozen muskrats.
If female be caught in this trap at
mating time, several males will be taken
prisoners in the same barrel in their efforts
to become her company. When a rat gets
inside 1t is impossible. owing to the depth
Of the water. for II to stand upon its hind
legs and cut q hole in the slaves above
water line. AT the same time. II cannot
get out at the top. When several are taken
the same night, a fight usually ensues
resulting in the death of all of the cap
tives either by the sharp teeth of their
companions or by drowning. The muskrat
enemy, next to man. is the dog. Hawks,
owls. foxes and minks all prey upon II.
These rodents have sometimes been found
in the stomachs of large catfish. but the
fishes were SO tainted with the flavor OF
the food as to be unfit to eat.
Their Subterranean Work.
With the building Of canals in various
parts of the country has come a change In
the life Of the muskrats in many localities.
They have actually abandoned to a great
extent the streams to take up their habita-
lions along the banks Of these ARTIFICIAL
waterways. No doubt they realize the
greater security afforded them from floods
and other dangers. These animals Will
rarely occupy banks of gravel or sand
prefering loan or light clay. Advantage
has been taken Of this fact by railways,
which. so long as they construct banks
of gravel and keep them free from vege-
table growth. are rarely bothered by the
rodents. Otherwise, great damage is done
the burrows caving In, undermining the
tracks, and doing other injury
In early spring the greatest damage is
done. With the alternate freezing and
thawing at that time of the year. the cover
ings of the underground passages fall In.
exposing cavities Of surprising extent 10
one who does not know the amount of SUBJ
terranean work these animals are cana BILE
Of doing. Much vigilance with eyes and
ears is often required to prevent such cav
ing from causing disastrous injury to prop
erty. The burrows commonly extend into
the bank for a distance of from ten To
thirty feet There are usually two openings
from which passages lead backward and up-
ward from the stream very crookedly They
end In a large gallery which is the home OF
the muskrat
Typical Muskrat House.
DR.. Amos w. Butler describes a typical
muskrat house as follows: 1t was built on
a marshy peninsula extending into a
stream, and was composed chiefly of swamp
grass, coarse weeds and mud, while a few
pieces Of shingles were found mixed with
the material. The ground in the immediate
neighborhood was cleared OF all vegetation.
The dwelling was matched very nicely with
weeds and sedge. The ground plan was
oval in outline. feet 6 inches wide ana
6 feet inches long. The structure pre-
scented the appearance OF an oblong hay
rick in miniature. Inside II was quite ir-
regular The greatest height, measuring
from the bottom Of the stream, was one
foot.
Six inches from the bottom a shelf was
found running from the left OF the entrance
above the top of the water. This shelf was
II inches long and inches wide 1t was
arched over neatly with drift and weeds,
Just above Ii was a passage leading up-
ward through the side OF the house intend
cd for ventilation. Entrance was had
through a covered way from and beneath
the water outside to the center of the
dwelling. A hollow stump is sometimes
utilized as the framework for a muskrst
house.
The Annual Brood,
Muskrats usually have only one brood of
young annually. Mating takes place late
In February or early in March. At this
season the female utters q hoarse squeal
by which the males are attracted In Aprii
or early May the young are brought forth;
from four to six helpless and hairless little
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