THE ERMINE 



A-^L lovers of our feathered song-birds kill 

 the weasel at every opportunity, believing 1 

 it to be one of the deadliest enemies to bird- 

 life; and if sportsmen bear in mind that every 

 time it gets a chance the little marauder fastens 

 its teeth in the neck of a grouse or a rabbit, they 

 will undoubtedly show it no mercy. Consider- 

 ing, however, the number of injurious rodents it 

 kills, it is doubtful if this " little marten " is, on 

 the whole, more destructive than useful. Cer- 

 tainly it does no more harm than the absolutely 

 useless squirrel. I leave it to others to argue 

 whether it should be killed or spared. I do not 

 spare it in ruffed grouse cover and near home, 

 where I wish to give the birds absolute protection. 

 Its tracks and trail, with the exception of the 

 walk, which the weasel does not use where it could 

 be tracked, are exact miniatures of those of its 

 large relative, the marten, and are, judging from 

 personal observations, frequently mistaken for 



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