" i he huuter sometimes takes advant
age of this habit of tne muskrat in the
following manner:
"Wheu the marshes and ponds where
themuskrats abound are Ar t frozen
over, aud the ice is thin aud clear, on
striking into their houses with his
hatche', for the purpose of setting bis
traps, be frequently sees a whole fami
ly plunge into the water and swim away
under the ice. Following one tor some
distance, he sees him come up to renew
his breath iu the manner above des
cribed. "After the animal has breathed
through the ice aud before he has time
to take it in again, the hunter strikes
with his hatchet directly over him, and
drives away bis breath. In this case he
drowns in swimming a few rods; and
the hunter, cutting a bole in the ice,
takes him out. Miuk, otter and beaver
travel under the ice in the same way ;
and hunters have frequently told me
of taking otters in the manner I have
described, when these animals visit the
houses of the muskrat for prey." Man
ufacturer and Jiuilder.
J a puree jtfcalasT.
M. Burnout has published an inter
esting brochure on the mythology of
the Japanese, based upon a more popu
lar historical work than that previously
translated by Titsingh and Klaproth.
