WEASEL FAMILY 



12/ 



to the latter's distress. It is most often found in 

 the holes of the defunct Dogs upon which it has 

 feasted. 



Very httle is known as to the habits or Hfe 

 history of this animal, which seems chiefly re- 

 markable for its ability to escape observation. 

 Like all of the Weasel clan it is strictly a flesh- 

 eater. There are no Fridays on its church cal- 

 endar and no vegetarians among its friends. 

 Failing in its supply of Prairie Dog steak, it 

 assiduously hunts the Field Mice and other 



mals, because their prey consists largely of 

 Prairie Dogs." 



Two .specimens were captured at a height un- 

 usual for this plains mammal. Warren says : 

 " One specimen in my collection came from Di- 

 vide, Teller County, at an elevation of 9800 

 feet, another was found dead in Lake Moraine, 

 El Paso County, altitude 10,250 feet. It is a 

 mystery how the animal came there, and when 

 skinned there were no marks on its body to in- 

 dicate the cause of death." 



By permission of the New York Zoological Society 



BLACK-FOOTED FERRET 



A member of the Weasel family that is little known because of its elusive habits. It is sometimes found 



in Prairie Dog burrows 



small mammals, as well as birds and their 



Mr. Merritt Cary, in " A Biological Survey of 

 Colorado," says : " This rare and little known 

 animal has been recorded from a number of 

 localities on the plains of eastern Colorado, but 

 here, as elsewhere over its range, its numbers 

 are small. Usually it is found in Prairie Dog 

 towns, where it takes up its abode in an aban- 

 doned burrow, and from this convenient base 

 preys upon the defenseless inhabitants of the 

 colony. These Ferrets are mo:-t beneficial mam- 



Others have been recorded by Coues. All 

 were taken in Prairie Dog towns, and one speci- 

 men had been drowned out of a Prairie Dog hole 

 and captured alive. This individual was kept in 

 confinement for some time. " It became quite 

 tame, readily submitting to be handled, though 

 it was furious when first caught. It was kept 

 in a wire cage and fed on beef, ^^'hen irritated 

 it hissed and spat like an angry cat. It used 

 to hide by covering itself over with material of 

 which its nest was composed, but at times, es- 

 pecially at night, it was very active and restless." 



