Muskrats on the Texas coast.

Date

1942

Authors

Lay, D.W.
O'Neill, T.

Journal Title

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Abstract

Approximately 260,000 acres of marshland on the southeastern Texas coast between Galveston Bay and Louisiana (Fig. 1) yield an annual crop of muskrat pelts which in at least one recent season (1939-40) exceeded 350,000. This marsh area is the westernmost range of the Louisiana muskrat (Ondatra zibethica rivalicia). The soils and plants of Texas marshes are fairly comparable with those of southwestern Louisiana, although problems of management vary greatly from marsh to marsh. The observations here reported were made between June 1938 and May 1941. Lay made occational trips to the various marsh areas during the entire period, and O'Neill devoted almost full time to the work between September 1940 and February 1941, with the Texas Game, Fish and Oyster Commission.

Description

p. 301-311.

Keywords

mammalogy, muskrats, Ondatra zibethicus rivalicius, hunting, marshes

Citation