Identifier: animalsnapshotsh00lott (find matches)
Title: Animal snapshots and how made
Year: 1905 (1900s)
Authors: Lottridge, Silas Alpha, 1863-
Subjects: Nature photography Animal behavior Birds
Publisher: New York, H. Holt
Contributing Library: Smithsonian Libraries
Digitizing Sponsor: Smithsonian Libraries

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dge is the combined work of from three to sixmuskrats; it is built at night, and the materials usedare coarse grass, sticks, leaves, twigs, and mud. Whilethis lodge is in process of building it appears to be onesolid mass, and from this I am led to believe thatthe nest is excavated after the lodge has reached itsfull proportions. When finished, the lodge extendstwo or three feet above the water and is about thesize of an ordinary haycock. It is not symmetrical,one side being less precipitous, and it is most likelythat up this incline the muskrats bring the materialused in building. It is a snug little home, and prob-ably very comfortable in ordinary winter weather.Here it is that the muskrats pass their time, exceptwhen in search of food. Their foraging excursions areusually made at night, and the journey may be somelittle distance from the lodge. The food during the winter consists largely ofaquatic plants. Somewhere on the feeding groundextending above the water and ice, one or more
Text Appearing After Image:
O u <M WQI—1 < The Muskrat 8i clusters of rushes are still standing. At such placesthere are usually air holes, the breathing places forthe muskrat. He takes advantage of these holes andforces the refuse of his food through them, thus form-ing a little mound six to twelve inches in height. This

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