116 BULLETIN NO. VII. 
Of the mental characteristics of the ermine much has been 
written. In spite of its innocent appearance the little animal 
is probably the most bloodthirsty and blindly ferocious of our 
Carnivora. The following account, kindly furnished me by 
Dr. T. S. Roberts, illustrates the blind fury with which it re- 
sents interference : 
‘‘Going to a place on a small island in Lake of the Isles” 
where had been left on the 12th inst., the skinned bodies of six 
muskrats, it was found that they had all disappeared. While 
standing near the spot the white head of a weasel appeared at a 
hole under the roots of a small oak tree close by. It soon with- 
drew again, and a steel trap was set at the entrance to the bur- 
row. Presently it appeared atasecond opening near by. Here 
a second trap was set. The weasel would come to the entrance, 
look out and go back again, passing and repassing with great 
agility over the trap without springing it. On walking away 
some distance and looking back the weasel was seen out of his 
retreat, and making violent efforts to drag the muskrat into his 
hole. On approaching again he tore away at the body furi- 
ously, but was forced to leave it. He seemed of a very irritable 
disposition, as he would tear and bite in the most insane man- 
ner at sticks and roots in the entrance of the hole, as if in 
agreatrage. Once he appeared at the entrance and seizing one 
of the jaws of the trap tried to drag the whole down with him. 
At last, in a more than usually precipitate retreat over the 
trap he sprung it, and was a prisoner. He was as fierce as any 
large animal, and showed great fight.”’ 
Dr. Merriam says: ‘‘I once puta very large rat into a square 
tin cage with a weasel of this species. The rat had been caught 
in a steel trap by the toes of one of its hind feet, and was in no 
way injured. He was very ugly, biting fiercely at the trap and 
the stick with which I assisted him into the cage of the weasel. 
No sooner had he entered the cage than his whole manner and 
bearing changed. He immediately assumed an attitude of 
abject terror, and trembled from head to foot, and crawled into 
the nearest corner. The weasel advanced toward him at once, 
and as he did so the rat raised on his hind legs, letting his fore 
paws hang helplessly over his breast, and squealed piteously. 
not only did he show no disposition to fight, but offered no re- 
sistance whatever, and did not even attempt to defend himself 
when molested. The weasel did not seize him at first, but 
cuffed him with his fore paws, and drove him from one corner 
of the cage to another, glaring at him continuously. Then, 
—] Fee, PS’ oa 
