WEASELS, OTTERS AND BADGERS. 141 



it with attention." This weasel lived on friendly terms with 

 both a cat and a dog who shared his mistress' favours. That 

 the weasel can defend himself when attacked is shown 

 by the following incident told by Mr. Bell: " As a gentleman 

 was riding over his grounds, he saw, at a short distance from 

 him, a kite pounce on some object on the ground, and rise 

 with it in his talons. In a few moments, however, the kite 

 began to show signs of great uneasiness, rising rapidly in the 

 air, or as quickly falling, and wheeling irregularly round, whilst 

 evidently endeavouring to free himself from some obnoxious 

 thing with his feet. After a short but sharp contest, the 

 kite fell suddenly to the earth. The gentleman instantly rode 

 up to the spot, when a weasel ran away from the kite, ap- 

 parently unhurt, leaving the bird dead, with a hole eaten 

 through the skin under the wing, and the large blood-vessels 

 of the part torn through." The length of the common weasel 

 is about eight inches. 



The Common There are several genera of Otters. The common 

 Otter. otter (Lutra vulgaris) is known throughout Europe 

 and is not uncommon in Great Britain. The otter lives 

 on fish, for the hunting of which he is admirably fitted. He 

 is web-footed and has a body of great flexibility and short 

 but remarkably muscular legs. The Otter was looked upon 

 as a friend by the peasants living near salmon preserves years 

 ago, for after landing his prey he was content with but a 

 small portion for himself, and left the rest which the peasants 

 readily appropriated. 



"Otters," says Mr. St. John, "are very affectionate animals; 

 the young anxiously seek their mother if she should be killed ; 

 and if the young are injured, the parent hovers near them till 

 she is herself destroyed. If one of a pair be killed, the one that 

 is left will hunt for its mate with untiring perseverance; and if 

 one be caught in a trap, its companion will run round and round, 

 endeavouring to set it free, on which occasions, though so quiet 

 at other times, they make a snorting and blowing like a horse." 



