THE WEASEL. 505 
exertions in keeping off his assailants, that he would soon have sunk under their united 
attacks had he not been rescued by the timely assistance of a horseman who happened to 
pass near the spot, and who came to the rescue with his whip. Urged by their bloodthirsty 
instinct, the Weasels all directed their efforts to the throat, and made their attacks in such 
rapid succession that their opponent was solely occupied in tearing away the active little 
creatures and flinging them on the ground, w ithout being permitted the necessary leisure 
for killing or maiming his pertinacious antagonists. 
It seems that the Weasels will unite their forces for the purposes of sport as well as 
for those of attack, and will hunt down their game in regular form. Not long ago, as a 
gentleman was walking in the fields, he saw a number of small objects moving in a line, 
which he at first took for partridges, but which tumed out to be Weasels, which were 
evidently following the track of some animal by its scent. Having his gun with him, 
he fired, and found that he had shot no less than six Weasels which had brought 
themselves into a line with the gun. 
A most curious example of mingled courage and presence of mind displayed by this 
animal is related by Mr. Bell in his History of British Quadrupeds. 
Asa gentleman was riding over his erounds, he saw a kite pounce upon some object 
and carry it from the ground. Ina short time the kite showed symptoms of uneasiness, 
trying to free itself from some annoying object by means of its talons, and flapping about 
in a very bewildered manner. In a few minutes the kite fell dead to the earth, and when 
the spectator of the aerial combat approached, a Weasel ran away from the dead body of 
the bird, itself being apparently uninjured. On examination of the kite’s body, it was found 
that the Weasel, which had been marked out for the kite’s repast, had in its turn become 
the assailant, and had attacked the unprotected parts which lie beneath the wines. A 
considerable wound had been made in that spot, and the large blood-vessels torn through. 
The same writer relates a curious anecdote of the conduct of a Weasel towards a 
snake which was placed in the same box. The snake did not attempt to attack the 
Weasel, nor the Weasel the snake, both animals appearing equally unwilling to become 
the assailant. After a while, the Weasel bit the snake once or twice near the nose, but 
not with any degree of violence, and as the two creatures appeared to be indifferent to 
each other, the snake was removed. That this peaceable demeanour on the part of the 
Weasel was not owing to any sluggishness on its own part, was made sufficiently evident 
by the fact that when a mouse was introduced into the same box, the Weasel immediately 
issued from its corner, and with a single bite laid the mouse dead. The experiment was 
made for the purpose of ascertaining whether the Weasel would kill and eat a snake, 
which had been asserted to be the case. 
The fondness of the Weasel for frogs has already been recorded. A curious instance 
of the nonchalant manner in which the Weasel will sometimes gratify this predilection, 
oceurred at a church near Oxford where I for some time officiated. One morning, during 
service, a Weasel was seen to creep into the chancel through a small door which led into 
the churchyard, and to walk gently into the middle of the floor. It sat up and recon- 
noitred the locality for a few moments, and then retired. But in a very short time 
it returned with a frog in its mouth, carried its prey into the middle of the floor, and 
there ate it, undisturbed by the presence of the congregation or the sound of many 
voices. 
That the Weasel, when its numbers are not very great, is a valuable ally to the farmer 
and the voultry-fancier, is now generally acknow ledged. But there are instances where it 
has played the part which is generally attributed to a powerful ally, and has, after 
successfully extirpating the foes against whom it was summoned, taken possession of the 
country which it came to save. There was a certain fish-pond which was suddenly invaded 
by a large body of rats, which bored the banks in every direction, caught and ate the fish, 
and were so insolent in the confidence of their numbers and strength “that they would sit 
openly at the mouth of their burrows, and boldly challenge any one who approached too 
near them, The nuisance increased with great rapidity, when it was unexpectedly 
checked by the advent of a party of W easels, which in their turn took possession of 
the burrows, and in a short time had driven away or killed every one of the rats. The fish 
