Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1895-04-29

rat SKlns every winter, and that ISM
more than they need to supply the de-
mand for imitation sealskin gloves,
caps, muffs, boas, trimmings and
other articles in that line. If the
muskfat was as big as the fur seal its
pelt would be readily worth $25 to
the trapper, instead Of fifteen or
twenty cents, as now.
''There is no other fur that resem-
bles the sealskin so closely, and there
in lies its value to the furrier, for it
makes handsome but cheap substi-
tute for chat costly fur in many ways.
The fur is always sold for what it is,
but purchasers of articles made from
it usually refer to them as their seal
skin so-and-so.
'The beaver alone excels the musk
rat in ingenuity and system in its do
mestic arrangements. In building it's
house the muskrat selects a spot in
the. low marsh land which will be
flooded at high tide. The site for its
house selected, the muskrat tunnels
from the bank of the stream or lagoon,
beginning below the edge of the water
at ebb tide, o passage underground to
the spot where its house is to be.
Then the busy animal cuts with its
teeth the broad, strong stalks and
leaves of the flag and the long, coarse
grass which form the principal veg
citation of the marshes. Dragging
them to the building site the muskrat
braiIa and fwiotu tho Ao,s o,1 .xr,,,oo
together in circular form, and builds
them layer upon layer, gradually mar
rowing the structure until firm,
cone-shaped house is the result. This
is further strengthened and made
comfortable by the liberal intermix-
tufe of mortar made from the marsh
mud, with which the muskrat plasters
its house inside and out. The only
entrance to the house is the subter-
ranean passage from the bank of the
stream. the ground floor being on q
level with that tunnel.
''The interior of a muskrat's house
is always divided into two floors or
studies. Sometimes it will have as
many as four. These are led to by q
chamber built around the inner edge
OF the house, and rising like spiral
stairway. The number of stairs to the
house are regulated by the height to
which the tide rises. The muskrat ex-
poets and wants the ground floor to
be flooded, but there must always be
dry roc m at the top of the house to
which the occupants may retire in
time of high water. Dwellers near
streams that are not affected by the
tide, but are liable to heavy freshets,
often look for warming of high water
to tie way the muskruts build their
houses in the fall. If the houses are
made high above the level, it is sure
sign that there are to be floods some
time during the season.
"Tho interior of the muskrat's
dwelling is warmly lined with dry
grasses and leaves, and frequently as
as many as half dozen muskrats will
inhabit one house. The reason that
this wise little animal in constructing
its dwelling engineers SO that its
ground floor and the tunnel are ALWAYS
under water is that thereby it has an
exit in case an enemy assail its house,
and an entrance if on enemy pursue,
which is hidden from sight, and lends
greatly to the safety of the muskrat in
either case. But the instinct of the
animal does not warn it against the
traps that its greatest and most per-
sistent enemy places at this hidden
entrance and exit, changing it from
way to liberty and safety to path.
way to certain death.
During the day the muskrat re-
mains hidden in it's house, unless the
day is cloudy and dark. At night it
goes forth to feed ON the juicy roots
of water grasses and plants. The
muskrat is dainty at its meals, and
will not put its mouth to root until
1T washes away every particle of mud
from it. A great many muskrats are
killed on moonlight nights by hunters
who hide on the banks and lie in wait
for the little fur bearers as they come
out OF the water and prepare for
feeding. But the wooden traps
are what reap the biggest crop
of muskrats. The traps are placed
ut the tunnel entrances of the animals
dwellings, and whether the muskrat is
going out to feed or has been out and
Is coming home, it swims into the trar
just the same. If this animal when
caught had time, it could easily gnaw
its way out of lthe trap, but before
that can be accomplished the muskrat
browns. A whole colony of muskrats
may be taken in single trap in one
night, and the trapper who has out
many of the traps is sure to gather O
rich yield every night. 1t is not nm
uncommon thing for Maryland musk
ratter to capture 100 pelts of night.
"On windy days great many OF
these animals are killed by spearing.
The muskrat has most acute sense OF
hearing, and the cracking of dry
flag leaf hundred yards away on u
still day is sufficient to alarm house
full OF the rats and send them scamper-
ing out into the water for safoty.
When the wind blows strong and at
high tide the muskratter arms himself
with O gig, the long iron tires of which