POLECATS, STOATS, AND WEASELS 347 



Still she keeps suckling them after they can eat for them- 

 selves, until they are quite able to take care of themselves, 

 when she weans them, and discharges them to look out for 

 their own food, when they are almost as big as their mothers. 

 An old rat-catcher and breeder of ferrets assures me they 

 will "lay and suck meat before they can see," just as ferrets 

 will. He says he has split a sparrow and laid it down by 

 their nests, and they have drawn out before they could see — 

 working by scent — and sucked it. 



Should you disturb the nest, however, when the}^ are 

 very young, the mother will kill her litter; and should they 

 stroll forth of their own accord to see the world, the mother 

 will catch them by the back of their necks and carry them 

 back. 



Like ferrets, too, they will not work much in damp 

 weather, for the scent is bad. At the breeding season 

 they will go into the water after rails' and water-hens' eggs, 

 and young birds — for they swim well, dog-fashion. They 

 suck the eggs by breaking a hole in the sides with their 

 teeth. 



The males fight one another fiercely at the breeding season, 

 setting their backs up, shooting their tails straight out, their 

 bodies swelling with rage, and their fur standing on end ; 

 flying at each other's heads, gripping each other, and rolling 

 over like dogs, then separating, running after each other, 

 jumping over each other, and hissing; now gripping each 

 other again, and shrieking and cackling like a ferret, making 

 a frightful stench all the time, until one is worsted ; for they 

 seldom kill each other in these duels, though that does 

 happen at times. 



A favourite haunt of theirs in summer is the warren — in 

 an old rabbit-hole, whence the marram-cutters often disturb 

 them in July, as they mow the sandy crop for thatch and 

 litter. It has been said they frequent corn-stacks. This is 

 not my experience; and I think the weasel is the corn-stack 

 hunter. 



