[16.] 3. M u s t e l a ( P u t o r iu s ) v i s o n . (Liri. Gmel.)
The Vison-Weasel.
Otay. Sagard T h^odat, Hist, du Can. p. 749. An: 1636..
Foutereau. La Hontan, Voyage, i. p. 81. An. 1703.
Mink. Kalm, Joum.
Le vison. Buff on, xiii. p. 308, t. 43.
Mustela vison. Lin. Gm e l , i. p. 94.
Minx. Lawson, Carol., p. 121.'
Mustela lutreola ? Forster, Phil. Trans., Ixii. p. 371.
Minx Otter. Pennant, Arctic Zool., i. p. 87.
Vison-Weasd. Ibid. i. p. 78.
Jackash. Hearne, Journey, p. 376. Graham, MSS., p. 6.
Mustela vison. Cuvier, Règne An., i. p. 150, t. 1. fig. 2.
Mustela lutreola. Sabine, Franklin's Joum., p. 652.
Mustela Vison et M. lutreocephala. Harlan, Fauna, pp. 63,65.
The Mink. Godman,'-ZVa2. Hist., i. p. 206.
Vison Weasel. British Museum. .
Sliakwæshew or Atjackashew. Cree Indians.
Mink. Hudson’s Bay Traders. Foutereau.' Canadian Voyagers.
This animal is very similar to the mustela lutreola of the north of Europe, in
form; and the name of mcenJc, applied to the latter, is supposed by Pennant, with
great probability, to have been transferred to the former by some Swedish
colonists. La Hontan mentions a sort of small amphibious Weasels, under the
name of Foutereaux, which is the appellation of the minks to this day amongst
the French Canadian voyagers. Buflon described a specimen from Canada, preserved
in the museum of M. Aubry, under the name of Vison, and gives a correct
figure, except that the form of the tail of the specimen had been spoiled in
mounting. Pennant admits the Vison into his list of species, having had merely
an imperfect view of M. Aubry’s specimen through its glass-case, and not recognising
it to be thé same with his minx or lesser otter, which he considers as
identical with the Mustela lutreola. Forster, who received a Vison from Hudson’s
Bay, under the name of mint, expresses a doubt of its being the latter species;
and Baron Cuvier has placed the European mink in his sub-genus Putorius, whilst
he ranges the Vison amongst the true martens. The Hudson’s Bay Vison has the
teeth of the polecats. I have not been able to trace the origin of the term Vison;
but a list of the furs exported to France, presented by a Montreal merchant to
Kalm in 1749, informs us, that “ the visons, or foutereaux, are a kind of martins
that live in the water.” There is no animal of the genus mustela inhabiting the
northern parts of America, which can be said to live in the water but the Vison ;
the fisher, notwithstanding its name, being as much a land animal as the pine-
martin.
The Vison passes much of its time in the water, and when pursued seeks shelter
in that element in preference to endeavouring to escape by land, on which it travels
slowly. It swims and dives well, and can remain a considerable time under water.
Its short fur, forming a smooth glossy coat, its tail exactly like that of an otter,
and the shortness of its legs, denote its aquatic habits. It preys upon small fish,
fish-spawn, fresh-water mussels, &c., in the summer ; but in the winter, when its
watery haunts are frozen over, it will hunt mice on land, or travel to a considerable
distance through the snow in search of a rapid or fall, where there is still some
open water. Under the article Mustela Canadensis, the mistakes which have
arisen from the habits of this animal having been attributed to the Pekan or
Fisher, are pointed out. The Vison, when irritated, exhales, next to the Skunk,
the most fetid smell of any animal in the fur Countries. The odour resides
in a fluid secreted by two glands situated at the anus. It is not very timid when
in the water, and will approach near to a canoe out of curiosity, diving however
instantly on perceiving the flash of a gun, or any movement from whence it apprehends
danger*. It is easily tamed, and is capable of strong attachment. In a
domestic state it is observed to sleep much in the day, and to be fond of warmth.
One, which I saw in the' possession of a Canadian woman, passed the day in her
pocket, looking out occasionally when its attention was roused by any unusual
noise. Like a cat, a tame Vison is easily offended, and will, on a sudden provocation,
bite those who are most kind to it. It is fond of being caressed. The fur
of the Vison is of little value, and at many of the remote parts their skins are taken
by the traders from the Indians merely to accommodate the latter, but are afterwards
burnt, as they will not repay the expense of carriage. The fur, however, is very
fine, although short, and is likely, in the revolutions of fashion, to become valuable
again.
We saw the Vison on the banks of Mackenzie’s River as far north as latitude
66°, and there is every reason to believe that it ranges to the mouth of that river, in
latitude 69°. It is a common animal throughout the whole breadth of the continent
of America, and we are told by Pennant that it exists as far south as Carolina.
I t has from four to seven young at a time.
* It resembles a musk-rat in its mode of swimming, and is shot in the water in like manner, by the hunters, as
La Hontan has remarked.
H