HISTORY AND HABITS OF THE ERMINE. 129 



equal comparative prowess, we must nevertheless accede to 

 them a wider and more searching range of active operations 

 against a greater variety of objects, more persevering and 

 more enduring powers of chase, and a higher grade of pure 

 destructiveness, taking more life than is necessary for immedi- 

 ate wants. The great cats are mainly restricted each to partic- 

 ular sources of food supply, which they secure by particular 

 modes of attack ; and, their hunger satisfied, they quietly 

 await another call of nature. Not so, however, with the Wea- 

 sels. No animal or bird, below a certain maximum of strength, 

 or other means of self-defence, is safe from their ruthless and 

 relentless pursuit. The enemy assails them not 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 extraordinary slenderness 

 of body, he follows the smaller 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, in gratification of 

 superlative bloodthirstiness, he at any rate kills instinctively 

 more than he can possibly require for his support. I know not 

 where to find a parallel among the larger Caniivora. Yet once 

 more, which one of the larger animals will defend itself or its 

 young at such enormous odds ? A glance at the physiognomy 

 of the Weasels would suffice to betray their character. The 

 teeth are almost of the highest known raptorial character ; the 

 jaws are worked by enormous masses of muscles covering all 

 the side of the skull. The forehead is low, and the nose is 

 sharp ; the eyes are small, penetrating, cunning, and glitter 

 with an angry green light. There is something peculiar, more- 

 over, in the way that this fierce face surmounts a body extraor- 

 dinarily 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 glan- 

 cing around, with the neck stretched up, and flat triangular 

 head bent forward, swaying from one side to the other, we 

 catch the likeness in a moment — it is the image of a serpent. 



In further illustration of the character of the Stoat, I con- 

 tinue with an extract from Audubon, which represents nearly 

 all that has appeared to the point in this country : — 



" Graceful in form, rapid in his movements, and of untiring 

 industry, he is withal a brave and fearless little fellow,- con- 



9m 



