34 



the churchyard yew, or even in the church porch. They who 

 have never taken part in a fox-chase as conducted on the hills, can 

 but faintly realise the excitement, fatigue, and danger to life and 

 limb incurred by the hardy pedestrian during the headlong pursuit, 

 especially when gill and crag are alike hidden from view by drifted 

 snow-wreaths. While rearing her cubs, the vixen and her brood 

 are capable of effecting a serious amount of mischief in a few 

 hours. I well remember an instance where a yeoman, in whose 

 family I lodged from 1840 to 1851, sustained great loss in this 

 way. About midsummer my host had his flock of geese, num- 

 bering from twenty to tliirty birds, old and young, in an enclosure 

 close to the farm buildings. One morning the field was found 

 strewed with the mangled remains of the birds. All had perished 

 save the old gander, which was discovered stupified with terror in 

 the farm yard, and one of the geese which had managed to escape 

 by sacrificing her tail. There had evidently been a grand foray or 

 worrying practice. The head, neck, and breasts of most of the 

 birds were gone, and these were in some instances found buried 

 in the footprints of cows, and other accidental depressions in 

 the surface, some of the former having been enlarged for the 

 purpose. 



Of the MusTELiDiE, or Weasel family, all the species commonly 

 considered as indigenous in the northern counties of England are 

 represented in the hill country. The Common Weasel is the most 

 frequently met with. The entire tribe are noted as being blood- 

 thirsty and rapacious — destructive to poultry, game, and small 

 birds indiscriminately, great numbers falling victims to their 

 predatory habits. As they commonly reject the bulk of the body 

 of their victims, sucking the warm life's-blood from the veins of 

 the neck, and scooping out the brain, they often work mischief 

 out of all proportion to their size and apparent capability. Their 

 murderous character makes them an object of bitter dislike to 

 gamekeepers and poultry fanciers. 



The Ermine or Stoat assumes a garb of pure white during 

 winter, except the tip of the tail, which is of glossy blackness. 

 When resuming their summer attire, they are frequently to be met 



