THE MARTEN FAMILY— WEASEL GROUP. 



159 



A family of Ferrets includes from five to eight 

 young ones, which remain blind during the first two 

 or three weeks of their lives. They are admirably 

 cared for by the mother and are weaned when about 

 two months old, and when this has been done they 

 are old enough to be separated from maternal care 

 and reared by themselves. 



How Ferrets The Ferret is excellent as an assistant 



Hunt Rabbits in a Rabbit hunt, but its real useful- 

 and Rats. ness ; s very slight in comparison with 

 the cost of its maintenance. 



The hunt is begun in the morning. The Ferrets 

 are carried in a basket or box lined with something 

 soft or in a game pouch. On arriving at the burrow 

 the hunter looks for all the outlets and places before 

 each of them a net about a yard long and fastened 

 to a large ring ; then the Ferret enters the principal 

 outlet and this is also closed against egress in a sim- 

 ilar manner. As soon as the Rabbits become aware 

 of the presence of the intruder, they rush out and are 

 caught in the nets and killed. The Ferret itself is 

 prevented from killing them either by a muzzle or by 

 having its teeth filed, and a _ _^ 

 little bell is suspended from 

 its neck so that its where- 

 abouts may be constantly 

 known. As soon as it reap- 

 pears at the outlet, it is taken 

 up, for if it should enter the 

 burrow a second time, i t 

 would lie down to rest and 

 its master would be com- 

 pelled to wait for it for hours. 

 It is very important that it be 

 taught to respond to a whis- 

 tle or a call. If it does not 

 obey this signal, resort is had 

 to coaxing in order to induce 

 it to come out. An effectual 

 expedient, for instance, is to 

 tie a Rabbit to a pole and 

 thrust it into the burrow. No 

 Ferret can withstand such a 

 temptation; its teeth close on 

 the Rabbit, with which it is 

 drawn out of the hole. 



In England the Ferret is 

 more frequently employed 

 to exterminate Rats, and still 

 oftener to fight with these 

 biting rodents. A Ferret which is only accus- 

 tomed to Rabbits cannot be used for Rats, for it is 

 afraid of every large Rat. A "Ratter" has to be 

 specially trained. It is at first made to fight with 

 young, weak Rats, and then becomes gradually accus- 

 tomed to combats and victories. The innate san- 

 guinary nature of the Ferret asserts itself by degrees, 

 and the courage of the little robber grows until it at 

 last attains such perfect skill in fighting the black 

 game that it accomplishes marvels. A thoroughly 

 trained Ferret can kill fifty Rats in one hour, within 

 a space two or three yards square. 



The Ferret, in its search for Rabbits, may meet 

 enemies of its own family which have taken up their 

 abode in a deserted Rabbit's burrow. Then a fright- 

 ful struggle takes place between two animals well 

 matched in strength and agility. Such a combat 

 is hardly enjoyed by the owner of the tame member 

 of the tribe, as he has cause to fear for the life of his 

 assistant in the Rabbit-chase. 



Weasels and The Weasels and their next of kin are 

 their Kind f still more slender and attenuated 

 Described, shape than the Martens proper. They 

 all dwell in fields, gardens, burrows, clefts of rock 

 or under stones or wood-piles and then roam about 

 by day as well as by night. They are the smallest 

 Beasts of Prey, but their courage and sanguinary 

 disposition render them model types of the Car- 

 nivora. 



Characteristics The Weasel {Pittoriits -i'lilgaris) attains 

 of the a total length of eight inches, about 

 Weasel. two of which go to the diminutive 

 tail. The body is extremely elongated and appears 

 to be longer than it really is on account of the 

 neck and head being of about the same circumfer- 

 ence as the body. The animal is of the same thick- 

 ness from head to tail, and only in adult Weasels do 

 the loins seem a little retracted and the nose some- 

 what pointed. The legs are very short and thin and 

 the paws are tender ; there is a covering of hair 

 between the balls of the soles, and the toes are 

 furnished with thin, sharp and pointed claws. The 



THE FERRET. 



of Rabbits, and is also, 

 and the eyes red. The ; 

 valuable. (Putoritis fu* 



-A domesticated variety ol the Polecat, which is used very largely for ridding fields 

 England, trained for Rat-killing purposes. It is an Albino, the fur entirely white 

 mal in the picture is evidently of the Rat-killing kind, which is considered the most 



tail is short, in proportion to the length of the body, 

 and tapering. The nose is blunt and somewhat 

 divided by a longitudinal furrow. The wide, rounded 

 ears stand well back and are down on the side of 

 the head, the small eyes are oblique and full of fire. 

 The hair is smooth and of moderate length and ap- 

 pears a little more dense toward the end of the 

 muzzle ; and there are long whisker-hairs over the 

 eyes, and a few bristles under them. The color of 

 the hair is reddish brown ; the margin of the upper 

 lip, the under part of the body and the inner sides of 

 the legs are white. There is a small, round, brown 

 spot at each corner of the mouth, and sometimes a 

 few brown spots show under the loins. This tint 

 does not undergo great variations in temperate and 

 southern climes ; farther north the Weasel, as well as 

 its nearest relative, changes its dress in winter and 

 makes its appearance spotted with white and brown, 

 but it does not display the beautiful black tip of tail 

 which distinguishes the Ermine. 



