856 Life-histories of Northern Animals 



Millais"' gives a number of instances of Stoats openly 

 approaching the intended quarry by rolhng on the ground and 

 gambolhng in various antic ways, so as to arouse the curiosity 

 and lull the suspicions of the victim as it draws ever nearer. 



A most interesting sort of game played by two males and a 

 female Stoat is described by C. B. Moffat,"" who witnessed it 

 in June, 1890, near Ballyhyland, Enniscorthy, Ireland. All 

 were apparently full grown. They were chasing each other 

 like dogs or kittens, knocking each other over, and turning 

 somersaults. "A curious crowing sort of note, ' Cur 00, curoo, 

 curoo,' uttered very quickly, was frequently uttered, and in- 

 variably when they ran at full speed. Great part of the game 

 consisted in all three animals careering across the road again 

 and again, frequently crossing each other, when they some- 

 times sprang high in the air and cannoned against one another, 

 all evidently in the height of fun. Then there was a ceremony, 

 which I could not quite understand, of pressing their noses on 

 the bare ground and running along for a foot or so, making a 

 slight grating noise. I do not know how; they all did this." 



There is much evidence of adult British Stoats having 

 games of this sort in summer and in winter, apparently at times 

 when the sex instincts are dormant. 



VALUE The grewsome chapter of carnage and woe that appears 



TO MAN yjjjgj. ^j^g section on habits and food might lead one to list the 

 Weasel among things to be destroyed at all times, and by any 

 means, as a thing without redeeming qualities. But Kennicott, 

 after years of close acquaintance, says:'' "I have frequently 

 found the half-eaten remains of Meadow-mice in their burrows 

 or under corn-stalks, which had doubtless been destroyed by 

 this Weasel [P. noveboracensis], or perhaps the smaller one 

 (P. cicognanii). It is a surprising thing that an animal so 

 large as this should be able to force its way into the burrows of 

 Meadow-mice, and yet it appears to do so without difficulty. 



'» Mam. G. B. & I., 1905, Vol. II, pp. 116-17. 



" Zoologist, 1890, p. 381. " Quad. 111., 185S, p. 105. 



