We did not trap and kill foxes and bears for the pleasure of it; we did it to make money and in self-defence. and to protect our farm animals and birds.

There was a man who had a dog that bit people who passed on the road. One day it bit a man who was going to the store; the man bought a strong pitch fork. When he was returning the dog attacked him again, in defending himself he drove the prongs of the fork into the dog and killed it. The owner of the dog came out in a great rage. The man told him the dog had bitten him and he was defending him- self. The owner of the dog asked “Why did you not use the blunt end of the fork at the dog?” The man replied, <<The dog did not use

his blunt end at me.” It was not his soft stumpy tail the bear used on our sheep; nor did the fox use his big fur brush when he got at our hens and geese, so we used their own methods on themselves.

There were a few Wildcats about but I had only one experience with them; I Will tell you about it further on.

Along the brook was a great resort for water animals. In winter we would see their tracks and trails, and hunt them: otter, mink, muskrat and others. The otter has short legs and when the snow was soft it made a trail like that made by dragging a small log. The mink seldom left the water. These animals are fond of the trout that abound in the streams and lakes. The muskrats kept near the mouth. of the brooks and about marshes and ponds, where they build their houses with much skill. These animals have very fine fur and soft: skin from which are made beautiful warm wraps and garments. We rob the animals of their fine clothes to clothe ourselves. Though we would not like to be animals, we are quite proud wearing their nice

clothes. Hunting Rabbits

Rabbits were very plentiful and we had some lively times hunting them. We constructed rabbit snares by making enclosures of green boughs. Rabbits will not run on a dark surface in winter. They can run very quickly and softly and hide in holes where larger animals cannot enter, but their most curious means of protection or of eluding their enemies, is that their colour changes to correspond with that of their surroundings;—-—in summer they wear a soft brownish grey, like

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