I20 



MAMMALS OF AAIERICA 



a better view. From its elongated, almost snake- 

 like, body it can follow most of the small mam- 

 mals on which it preys into their holes. 



A graceful little bundle of muscle, combined 

 with courage and cunning of a high order — 

 such is the American Ermine, or Arctic \\'easel, 

 whose fur is so highly prized. Dr. Cones gives 

 him a quality of courage and resourcefulness, 

 far above the large carnivora : " Ko animal or 

 bird, below a certain maximum of strength or 

 other means of self-defense, is safe from his 

 ruthless pursuit. The Ermine assails them not 



highest known raptoria; character; the jaws are 

 worked by enormous masses of muscles covering 

 all the side of the skull. The forehead is low, 

 the nose sharp ; the eyes are small, penetrating, 

 cunning, and glitter with an angry green light. 

 " There is something peculiar, moreover, in the 

 way that this fierce face surmounts a body ex- 

 traordinarily wiry, lithe and muscular. It ends 

 -a remarkably long and slender neck in such way 

 that it may be held at right angle with the axis 

 of the latter. When the creature is glancing 

 around, with the neck stretched up, and flat tri- 



ERMINE, OR ARCTIC WEASEL 

 A dominant trait of this beautiful fur-bearer is curiosity 



only upon the ground, but under it, and on trees, 

 and in the water. Swift and sure-footed, he 

 makes open chase and runs down his prey ; keen 

 of scent, he tracks them, and makes the fatal 

 spring upon them unawares ; lithe and of extra- 

 ordinary slenderness of body, he follows the 

 smaller animals through the intricacies of their 

 hidden abodes, and kills them in their homes. 

 And if he does not kill for the simple love of 

 taking life, he at any rate kills instinctively 

 more than he can possibly require for his sup- 

 port. I know not where to find a parallel among 

 the larger carnivora.'' 



A glance at the Weasel suffices to betray its 

 dominant traits. The teeth are almost of the 



angular head bent forward, swaying from one 

 side to the other, we catch the likeness in a mo- 

 ment. It is the image of a serpent." 



Audubon, one of our earliest and most care- 

 ful observers, thus describes the Ermine : 

 "Graceful in form, rapid in his movements, and 

 of untiring indtistry, he is withal a brave and 

 fearless little fellow ; conscious of security within 

 the windings of his retreat among the logs, or 

 heap of stones, he permits us to approach him 

 within a few feet, then suddenly withdraws his 

 head. \\'e remain still for a moment, and he 

 once more returns to his post of observation, 

 watching curiously our every motion ; seeming 

 willing to claim association so long as we abstain 



