294 . AMERICAN WEASELS. 



on that day, and he had wound a thick woollen comforter round his neck, so that he was par- 

 tially protected. 



Finding that he had no chance of beating off the pertinacious animals, he flung his stick 

 down, fixed his hat firmly over Ms temples, and pressing his hands to his neck, so as to guard 

 that perilous spot as much as possible from the sharp teeth of the Stoats, set off homewards as 

 fast as he could run. By degrees, severaUof the animals dropped off, but others clung so 

 determinately to their opponent, that when he arrived at his stables, no less than five Stoats 

 were killed by his servants as they hung on his person. His hands, face, and part of his neck 

 were covered with wounds ; but owing to the presence of mind with which he had defended 

 his neck, the large blood-vessels had escaped without injury. The distance from the spot 

 where he had been attacked to his own house was nearly four miles. 



He always declared that when he struck the Stoat with the stone, its companion called out 

 "Murder!" 



The Stoat is, like the weasel, possessed of a powerful and exceedingly unpleasant odor ; 

 yet even this disagreeable accompaniment does not always suffice to preserve it from being 

 killed and eaten by predaceous animals more powerful than itself. Even so fastidious an 

 animal as the domestic cat has been known to capture a Stoat, to eat part of it herself, and to 

 distribute the remainder to her kittens, who partook of the powerfully scented food without 

 manifesting any reluctance. 



Although so wild an animal, it has-been tamed with as great success as the weasel and the 

 ferret, displaying the same gentle and active playfulness as has been already mentioned as 

 belonging to the weasel when in a state of domestication. The animal was suffered to roam at 

 will about the house, and never gave any intimation that it wished to make its escape. It was 

 an amusingly playful little creature, delighting to leap upon the members of the family, and 

 run up their backs. But its greatest pleasure seemed to be in attacking a couple of old stuffed 

 magpies that stood upon a shelf. It used to jump upon them, twist its serpentine body round 

 their necks, drag out their feathers between its teeth, and would not unfrequently, in the 

 exuberance of its spirits, knock the bird off the shelf, when magpie and Stoat would come to 

 the ground together. 



IK the family Hfustelidce, species are very numerous, and America has a fair share. 

 Ninety -two species are recorded. According to Wallace, of eight sub-families, three are rep- 

 resented on the American Continent. Under the sub-family Mustelince are embraced the 

 Weasels, Polecats, Sables, Martens, etc. 



The American Sable, a notable member of this family, resembles closely the Pine Marten 

 of Europe. Its fur is in great request, though subject, like all other kinds, to fluctuation or 

 the caprice of fashion. 



The Fisher, or Black Cat (Mustela pennanti), is the largest known species of the family. 

 Its bushy tail and large size make it a more attractive creature than the other members of the 

 family. It is less known than any of our mammalia. But few years since the Fisher was 

 abundant in the northern portion of the Middle States. This animal is said by the hunters to 

 prey upon the Canada porcupine a feat that many another animal shuns with dread. During 

 seasons of extreme want in the supply of animal food, the puma will attack the porcupine ; 

 and frequent examples of the uncomfortable results of this are seen in the numerous quills 

 studding the nose of the creature, which must produce great suffering. 



The range of this great Weasel is from the Great Slave Lake and Labrador, to the Pacific, 

 and southwards, occasionally, on the mountains of Virginia. 



The Least Weasel (Putorius pusillus) is the smallest of the North American forms. Its 

 tail is extremely short, and has no black tip, like those of other species. Most people know 

 what a Weasel is, but the habits of these creatures are such that they are not often seen. If 

 the temper of our little Weasel is anything like that of the European, with which it was once 

 confounded, it is a most formidable creature. 



The Small Brown Weasel (Putorius cicognani] is a well marked and easily recognized 



