few light pieces of wood are floated, over
which the bait, consisting of carrot, sweet apple, or turnip, is
placed. A trail is then made by dragging a piece of scented meat
from the barrel in various directions, and a few pieces of the
bait are also strewn along these trails. The muskrats will thus
be led to the barrel, and will be certain to jump in after the
tempting morsels, and their escape is impossible. No less than
a dozen muskrats have been thus caught in a single barrer in one
night, and a few of these traps have been known almost to exterminate
the musquashes in localities where they had previously existed in
such numbers as to become a pestilence to the neighborhood.

A barrel trap constructed on the principle described on page 131
is also equally effective, although rather more complicated in
construction. The Twitch-up is often used, and possesses the advantage
of a trap and spring-pole combined. Box traps, page 103, are also
to be recommended.

The skin of the muskrat may be removed in the same manner as hereinafter
described for the otter, with the exception of the tail. This is
considered the best method. It may also be taken off flat by ripping
from the under jaw to the vent, and peeling around the eyes and
mouth, letting the skin of the legs come off whole, without cutting.

Another common method consists in cutting off the feet, and then
ripping with a knife from the front of the lower jaw down the neck
and belly to a point a little beyond the forelegs. The lips, eyes, and
ears are then carefully skinned, and the hide is stripped backwards
from the body. In the latter method the bow-stretcher, page 274,
is used.

[Page 186]
THE OTTER.

The fur of this animal is of such exquisite softness and beauty
as to be in great demand for commercial purposes, bringing a very
high price in the fur market.

[Illustration]

The otter cannot be said to be a common animal, although it is
found throughout the United States and Canada, being rather more
plentiful in the cold northern localities than in the southern
latitudes. It is an amphibious animal, and can remain for a long
time beneath the water. In size it is larger than a cat, and it
possesses a tapering tail some eighteen inches in length. Its fur
is of a rich brown color, and the hair is of two kinds, the one a
close, fine, and exquisitely soft down, which lies next the skin,
and which serves to protect the animal from the extremes of heat and
c