Pelt.--THE BADGER.--Its Peculiar Markings.--Use of the Hair.--Nest of
the Badger.--Number of Young.--Food of the Animal.--Its Remarkable
Fondness for Honey.--Its Cunning.--Remarkable Instincts.--Its
Shrewdness.--How to Trap the Badger.--Various Baits.--Use of
"Medicine."--Capture of the Animal by Flooding its Burrow.--How
to Skin the Badger.--Directions for Stretching the Pelt.--THE
BEAVER.--Description of the Animal.--Its Nature and Habits.--The
Beaver Village.--The "Lodges," or Beaver Houses.--Remarkable
Construction of the Huts.--The Dam of the Beaver.--Wonderful Skill
shown in its Construction.--Nocturnal Habits of the Beaver.--Remarkable
Engineering Instincts of the Animal.--How the Beaver Cuts Timber.--How
the Dam is Constructed.--The Formation of "Reefs."--The Tail of
the Beaver as a Means of Transportation.--Subterranean Passage
to the Huts.--How Beavers are Hunted.--Young of the Beaver.--How
to Trap the Beaver.--The Necessary Precautions.--Castoreum or Bark
Stone.--Its Great Value in the Capture of the Beaver.--Various
Methods of Setting the Trap.--How to Apply the Castoreum.--Use of
the Sliding Pole.--Food of the Beaver.--Directions for Skinning the
Animal and Stretching the Pelt.--THE MUSK-RAT.--General Description
of the Animal.--Its Beaver-like Huts.--Its Nocturnal Habits.--Its
Food.--The Flesh of the Musk-rat as an Article of Diet.--Description
of the Hut.--Extensive Family of the Musk-Rat.--Its Home.--How the
Musk-Rat swims beneath Unbroken Ice.--How it is Killed by being
Driven Away from its Breath.--Spearing the Musk-Rat.--Construction
of the Spear.--How to Trap the Musk-Rat.--Use of the Sliding
Pole.--Various Modes of Setting Trap.--The Spring Pole.--Scent
Baits.--Various Devices for Capturing the Musk-Rat.--The
Barrel-Trap.--Remarkable Success of the Trap.--The Trail.--Skinning
the Musk-Rat.--How to Stretch the Pelt.--THE OTTER.--Description
of the Animal.--Beauty of its Fur.--How the "Otter Fur" of Fashion