132 NORTH AMERICAN MUSTELID^. 



and granaries, and destroy vast quantities of grain. In some in- 

 stances the farmer is reluctantly compelled to pay even more 

 than a tithe in contributions towards the support of these pests. 

 Let however an Ermine find its way into these barns and gran- 

 aries, and there take up its winter residence, and the havoc 

 which is made among the rats and mice will soon be observa- 

 ble. The Ermine pursues them to their farthest retreats, and 

 in a few weeks the premises are entirely free from their depre- 

 dations. We once placed a half domesticated Ermine in an out- 

 house infested with rats, shutting up the holes on the outside 

 to prevent their escape. The little animal soon commenced his 

 work of destruction. The squeaking of the rats was heard 

 throughout the day. In the evening, it came out licking its 

 mouth, and seemed like a hound after a long chase, much fa- 

 tigued. A board of the floor was raised to enable us to ascer- 

 tain the result of our experiment, and an immense number of 

 rats were observed, which, although they had been killed in 

 difl'erent parts of the building, had been dragged together, form- 

 ing a compact heap. 



*• The Ermine is then of immense benefit to the farmer. We 

 are of the opinion that it has been over-hated and too indis- 

 criminately persecuted. If detected in the poultry house, there 

 is some excuse for destroying it, as, like the dog that has once 

 been caught in the sheepfold, it may return to commit further 

 depredations; but when it has taken up its residence under stone 

 heaps and fences, in his fields, or his baru, the farmer would 

 consult his interest by suffering it to remain, as by thus invit- 

 ing it to a home, it will probably destroy more formidable ene- 

 mies, relieve him from many petty annoyances, and save him 

 many a bushel of grain." 



The same author, alluding to the Weasel's want of shyness, 

 and its ready capture in any kind of trap, continues with a 

 matter that may next interest us — its relative abundance in 

 different localities : — " This species does not appear to be very 

 abundant anywhere. We have seldom found more than two or 

 three on any farm in the Northern or Eastern States. We have 

 ascertained that the immense number of tracks often seen in the 

 snow in particular localities were made by a single animal, as 

 by capturing one, no signs of other individuals were afterwards 

 seen. We have observed it most abundant in stony regions; 

 in Dutchess and Ontario counties in New York, on the hills of 

 Connecticut and Vermont, and at the foot of the Alleghanies 



