286 THE WEASEL. 



neck as if watching for its prey, darted towards the spot, but just before it reached the nest it 

 was anticipated by a crow, which seized the egg and bore it off in triumph. Desirous of inves- 

 tigating the matter further, the proprietor of the plundered fowl would not remove her nest, 

 but took up. his station on the succeeding day, in order to see whether crow or Weasel would 

 return to the attack. No sooner had he arrived at his post than he saw the crow already 

 perched on a neighboring tree, and in a very short time the Weasel made its appearance also. 

 By degrees the two animals drew nearer to the hen's nest, and as soon as her voice gave the 

 signal, they simultaneously started for the spoil. As before, the wings were more than a 

 match for the legs, and the crow again bore off the prize. 



The Weasel has been seen to catch and to kill a bunting by creeping quietly towards a 

 thistle on which the bird was perching, and then to leap suddenly upon it before it could use 

 its wings. When it seizes an animal that is likely to make its escape, the Weasel flings its 

 body over that of its victim, as if to prevent it from struggling. In single combat with a large 

 and powerful rat, the Weasel has but little hope of success unless it should be able to attack 

 from behind, as the long, chisel-edged teeth of the rat are terrible weapons against so small an 

 animal as the Weasel. The modes of attack employed by the two animals are of a different 

 character, the rat making a succession of single bites, while the Weasel is accustomed to fasten 

 its teeth in the head or neck of its opponent, and there to retain its hold until it has drained 

 the blood of its victim. The fore-legs of the Weasel are of very great service in such a contest, 

 for when it has fixed its teeth, it embraces its opponent firmly in its fore-limbs, and rolling 

 over on its side, holds its antagonist in its unyielding grasp, which* is never relaxed as long as 

 a spark of life is left. 



In these mortal contests, the Weasel has a considerable advantage in its long and powerful 

 neck, which can be twisted with a most snake-like ease, and which gives the possessor a very 

 serpentine aspect on occasions. 



Like the polecat, and others of the same group of animals, the Weasel is most destructive 

 in its nature, killing many more animals than it can devour, simply for the mere pleasure of 

 killing. It is curious to notice how the savage mind, whether it belong to man or beast, 

 actually revels in destruction, is maddened to absolute frenzy by the sight of blood, and is urged 

 by a kind of fiery delirium to kill and to pour out the vital fluid. Soldiers in the heat of 

 action have often declared that everything which they saw was charged with a blood-red hue, 

 but that the details of the conflict had entirely passed from their minds. A single Weasel, urged 

 by some such destructive spirit, has been known to make its way into a cage full of freshly- 

 caught song-birds, and to destroy every single bird. The little assassin was discovered lying 

 quite at its ease in a corner of the cage, surrounded with the dead bodies of its victims. The 

 angry bird-catchers sought at once for a stone wherewith to avenge themselves of the 

 destroyer, but before they could procure a weapon, the Weasel glided through one of the 

 little holes through which the birds obtain access to the water, and was speedily concealed in 

 a hedge beyond hope of discovery. 



Even such large animals as hares have been said to fall victims to the Weasel. But it 

 must be borne in mind that in many parts the stoat goes by the title of Weasel, and under 

 that name obtains the credit for many of the achievements which ought to have been atti'ib- 

 uted to the rightful perpetrator. It is said to kill and eat moles, and this idea is strengthened 

 by the fact that Weasels have more than once been captured in mole-traps. These unfortunate 

 animals were evidently snared in the act of traversing the same passages as the mole, but 

 whether their object was the slaughter of the original excavators is not clearly ascertained. 



The exceeding audacity of the Weasel has been already mentioned, and for proofs of this 

 disposition the following anecdotes are cited. 



Two gentlemen were riding in the open country, one of whom dismonnted in order to 

 inspect some cattle in a field, leaving his horse in the charge of his companion. Presently, a 

 Weasel came out of the neighboring hedge, and fastened on the fetlock of one of the horses, 

 grasping so firmly that it would not loosen its hold until it had been crushed under foot by 

 the owner of the horse. Some little while ago, a party of Weasels were seized with an idea 

 that they must prevent any one from passing near their habitation. A boy, who was obliged 



