Short-tailed Weasel 849 



more of them, the old one doubtless went on with her band 

 of pirates. 



In the case observed by John Burroughs, the mother 

 showed her ready devotion, for he fired at the young ones, 

 wounding one of them so it could not run, but the mother 

 seized it in her mouth and bore it away to safety. 



As already noted, the father, in some cases at least, is 

 active in the care of the young. 



So far as known, there is but one brood each year. 



At Carberry, I have often seen this energetic little creature habits 

 seeking for Mice in the deep, soft snow. Its actions are much 

 like those of an Otter pursuing salmon. Sometimes it galloped 

 along a log or over an icy part of the drift; then plunged out 

 of sight in a soft place, to reappear many yards away, bound- 

 ing here and there, over and under, restless and tireless as 

 the waves of the sea — forever changing his place, pose and 

 direction, an embodiment of lithe grace and endless assiduity. 

 At such times, if he disappears in some crevice, hole, or maze, 

 he is easily persuaded to come forth again, if you remain still 

 and squeak like a Mouse. 



The smell of blood must be as far reaching as it is attrac- 

 tive to these sanguinary little creatures. I have frequently 

 hung new-killed Rabbits and partridges temporarily in trees, 

 and, after an absence in some cases of a few minutes only, have 

 found an Ermine mauling the game, though there was no sign 

 of such a visitor when the cache was made. 



The Weasels have the unloveliest disposition of all our 

 wild animals. Outside of their strength and courage, we find 

 in them little to admire. Most other animals have a well- 

 marked home-region and friends, but the ordinary life of a 

 Weasel is that of a wandering demon of carnage. Dr. Coues 

 has tersely summed up Weasel, body and soul, in a few char- 

 acteristic lines:' 



"A glance at the physiognomy of the Weasel would suffice 

 to betray their character. The teeth are almost of the highest 



' Fur-bearing Animals, 1877, p. 129. 



