CHAPTER XX. 

 FERRETS — A TO Z. 



^S I have been in the ferret business for 

 over ten years I will give a description 

 of the use and care of this little animal. 

 The ferret is a native of Africa. They 

 have been domesticated and raised in confine- 

 ment a great many years. It is a slim, wiry, 

 muscular animal and can kill animals much 

 larger than itself. They resemble the mink and 

 weasel in shape and size, having long slim 

 bodies, small heads and pointed noses. Having 

 very flexible bodies, they can enter very small 

 holes and follow rats in the most difficult places. 

 Their natural disposition is to hunt, drive 

 and kill their own living. They are keen scented 

 and upon smelling rats or other game will enter 

 the hole at once to kill them. Rats will run for 

 their lives as soon as a ferret approaches, and 

 being very cautious, will not stay about a place 

 where ferrets are kept and worked. They are 

 very valuable for, field hunting as well as killing 

 rats. 



Ferrets are very tame and can be carried in 

 the pocket and handled with the bare hands to 



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