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 
     
    
   
   
    
     29