The sun., 1895-02-03
TRAPPING THE MUSKRAT.
MORE THAN 100000 OF ITs PELTs
USED IN VIEW YORK ANNUALLY.
They DO Duty as Cheap substitute for Seal
sixth Wisdom OF the Musk rat ns - House
Siaurhter in MarWland.

SKIN Wisdom OF the huekrnt ns - House
Builder-Tbe slaughter In Maryland.
THE furrlers Of New York city" said one Of
them. buy more than 100000 muskrat skins
every winter and that isn't more than they need
to supply the demand for imitation sealskin
gloves, caps. nuns, bOas, trimmings, and other
| articles In that line. IL the muskrnt was MS big
as the fur seal its pclt would be readily worth
$25 to the trappcr, instead OF flfteenor twenty
cents. ns now, but II the muskrat was as big as
the seal and the pluck and ncrcencss II can
assume now were correspondingly increased
1t would he n bold trapper or hunter who>went
out to bng the muskrat. 4 muskrut won't fight
unless II has to. but when It is brought to bay
II will do battle with twenty times It's weight Of
do :, and he will have to be n pretty active and
experienced dog II he doesn't get ;hc worst OF
the fight In short order and turn tail and run.
The mu'krat will nght man without hesitation
when in close quarters, and once II fastcns its
teeth anything those teeth remain fast until
| the muskrat dies.
| "The musk part Of this little animals name
| Is all right, Tor IL has II musk-pod, md the
qunl!ty ~ the musk II contains Is so good that IL
has largely taken the place OF the imported mr.
tcle in tho Uses OF the perfumer: but there Is
reason why the animal should be call rat. ex-
| cept its general appearance II is no more a
| rat or in any way allied to the rat family than
| a COW is. The muskrat Is a strict vegetarian.
Its meat is white, juicy, and sweet, and evoked.
| as they know how to cook II in Maryland. makes
| q dish 1T for king.
"There Is no other fur that resembles the
sealskin so closely. and therein lies its value to
the furrer for it makes handsome but cheap
substitute for that costly fur in many ways.
The fur is always sold for what 1t is. but pur-
chasers OF articles made from 1t usually refer to
them as their seaskin so-and-so. The Hacken-
sack marshes In Jersey are inhabited
| largely by muskrats that furnish IL very fine
pelt, but. unlike his prototype in Maryland,
the trappcr of the Jersey marshes looks
upon the muskrnt as merely a provision of
Providence to keep him in appejack and to-
bacco. and he draws upon the furry colonies
only as his supply of those necessarics becomes
low. But the MARYLAND trappers give the musk
rat no rest from he time cold weather comes
until early spring. They average 100,0 900 skins
every winter. the trapping being chiefly done
on the low marsh lands of Dorchester county
THE beaver alone excels tho muskrat in in
genuity and system in its domestic arrange
ments. In building Its house the ,nuskrat selects
Il spot in the low marsh land which will tie
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 a passage underground
10 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 vegetation Of the
marshes. Dragging them to the building site. the
muskrat brads and twists the flags and grasses
together in circular form, and builds them layer
upon layer, gradually narrowing the structure
until 6rm cone-shaped house is the result.
This is further strengt hcncd and mGdo comfort
able by the liberal intermiXture of mortar made
from the marsh mud. with which the muskrat
plasters its house, inside and out The only en-
trance to the house is the subterranean passage
from the bank of the stream. the ground floor
being on level with that tunnel.
THE interior of a muskrat's house is always |
divided into two floors or stories. Sometimes it |
will have AS many as four. These are led to by |
a chamber built around the inner edge OF the |
house. and rising like spiral stairway. The
nun Der Of stairs to the house is regulated by |
the height u which the tide rises The musk |
rat expects and wants the ground floor TO be |
Hooded but there must always be dry room |
at the top OF the house to which the occupants |
may retire in time of high water. jewellers near |
liable to heavy freshets. often look TOR warning
of high water TO the way the muskrats build |
high above the level. II is sure sign that there
are to be floods some time during the season
The interior of the tnuskrats, dwelling is
warmly lined with dry grasses and leaves, and
frequently as many as half II dozen muskrats
will inhahit house. The reason that this
wise little an imal in constructing its dwelling |
engineers so that its ground floor and the tunnel |
are always under water is ;hat thereby it has an
exit in case enemy assail its house. and an
entrance il an enemy pursue which is hiddea
from sight. and lends greatly to the safety OF
Of the animal does not warn it against
the traps that its greatest and most persistent
enemy places at this hidden entrance aud exit.
changing it from way to liberty and safety to
pathway to certain death. The traps have
seen in Dorchester county are made o. four
boards about three feet long and six inches wide.
These are nailed together, max ing an oblong
box; In each end is "a wire door, hung on hinges
at the top, and rising OH the slightest pressure |
from the outside. II cannot be opened from the
inside.
in its house, unless the day is cloudy and dark.
At night it goes forth To feed on the juicy roots
dainty at It's meals. and will not put its mouth
to a root until 1t washes away every particle of
on % moonlight nights by hunters Who hide on i the
banks and lie in wait for the little fur bearers
si as they come out OF the water ana prepare ior
biggest crop OF muskrats. The traps are placed
at the tunnel entrances of the animals dwellings,
and whether the muskrat is going out to feed or
the trap Just the same. If this animal when
out OF the trap but before that can be accom-
plisned the muskrat browns. A whole colony of
muskrats may be taken In a single trap in one
night, and the trapper who has out many OF the
traps Is sure to gather a rich yield every night
muskratter to capture 90 pelts OF a night.
y" ON windy days great many OF these ami
a most acute sense OF hearing, and The cracking
of a dry flag leaf hundred yards away on u
still day is sufficient to alarm housetul Of the
rats and send them scampering ont into the
water for safety. When the wind blows strong
and at high tide the muskratter arms himself
with a gig. the long iron tires OF which will
reach from top to bottom of the muskrats nest.
Approaching nest with great caution, against
tie wind, the hunter iabs his spear into it.
Cuddled together In the upper part Of the house
may be half dozen muskrats. Leaving the
knocks the roof of. Frequently he will find
three or more muskr Is impaled on his spear.
Another profitable method OF taking tho
muskra and one that has many elements of
good sport in It, is the shooting of the animals at
night. The hunters course in boats slowly
along the streams or bayOus. sometimes throw
ing light ahead Of them from a JACK, but gen.
orally trusting TO their own trained eyes and the
light OF the stars or moon. They detect In
stanty the ripple on the water that betrays the
swimming muskrat, and IL Is seldom that tho
report of a gun does not mean muskrat less.
Seasons OF unusual tides and floods are best