THE WEASEL. 



(Putorius vulgaris,} 



THIS is the smallest beast of prey, 

 but so agile and courageous 

 that it is regarded as a model of 

 carnivorous animals. It dwells 

 in fields, gardens, burrows, clefts of 

 rock, under stones or wood piles, and 

 roams around by day as well as by 

 night. Its slender and attenuated shape 

 enables it to enter and explore the hab 

 itations of the smallest animals, and, 

 as it is a destroyer of rats, mice, and 

 other noxious animals, it is useful and 

 deserves protection. It is, however, 

 hunted by many who do not appreciate 

 its value. 



The weasel attains a length of eight 

 inches, including the tail. The body 

 appears to be longer than it really 

 is because the neck and head are 

 of about the same circumference as 

 the body. I,t is of the same thickness 

 from head to tail. 



This animal is found throughout Eu 

 rope, Canada, and the northern por 

 tions of the United States. Plains, 

 mountains, forests, populous districts, 

 as well as the wilderness, are its home. 

 It adapts itself to circumstances, and 

 can find a suitable dwelling-place in 

 any locality. It is found in barns, cel 

 lars, garrets, and similar retreats. 



An observer says one who noise 

 lessly approaches the hiding-place of 

 a weasel may easily secure the pleas 

 ure of watching it. He may then hear 

 a slight rustle of leaves and see a small, 

 brown creature gliding along. As soon 

 as it catches sight of a human being it 

 stands on its hind legs to obtain a bet 

 ter view. "The idea of flight seldom 

 enters this dwarf- like creature's head, 

 but it looks at the world with a pair of 

 bold eyes and assumes an attitude of 

 defiance." Men have been attacked 

 by it. A naturalist once saw a large 

 bird swoop down on a field, pick up a 

 small animal and fly upward with it. 

 Suddenly the bird staggered in its 

 flight, and then dropped to the ground 

 dead. A weasel tripped merrily away. 

 It had severed its enemy's neck with 

 its teeth and thus escaped. 



The weasel preys upon mice, house 

 rats and water rats, moles, hares, rab 

 bits, chickens, birds, lizards, snakes, 

 frogs, fish, and crabs. 



A litter of weasels numbers eight. 

 The mother is very fond of the little 

 blind creatures and nourishes them 

 until long after they can see. 



Buffon said this little animal was not 

 capable of domestication, but as a mat 

 ter of fact, when accustomed to people 

 from childhood, it becomes very tame 

 and attractive. 



A lady tells the following anecdote 

 of her pet weasel: 



" If I pour some milk into my hand 

 my tame weasel will drink a good deal, 

 but if I do not pay it this compliment 

 it will scarcely take a drop. When 

 satisfied it generally goes to sleep. My 

 chamber is the place of its residence 

 and I have found a method of dispel 

 ling its strong odor by perfumes. By 

 day it sleeps in a quilt, into which it 

 gets by an unsewn place which it has 

 discovered on the edge; during the 

 night it is kept in a wired box or cage, 

 which it always enters with reluctance 

 and leaves with pleasure. If it be set 

 at liberty before my time of rising, 

 after a thousand playful little tricks, it 

 gets into my bed and goes to sleep be 

 side me. If I am up first it spends a 

 full half-hour in caressing me, playing 

 with my fingers like a little dog, jump 

 ing on my head and my neck with a 

 lightness and elegance which I have 

 never found in other animals. If I 

 present my hands at the distance of 

 three feet it jumps into them without 

 ever missing. It exhibits great address 

 and cunning to compass its ends, and 

 seems to disobey certain prohibitions 

 merely through caprice. In the midst 

 of twenty people it distinguishes my 

 voice, seeks me out and springs over 

 all the others to come at me." 



The weasel probably lives from eight 

 to twelve years. It is easily caught in 

 a trap, with bait of an egg, a small bird, 

 or a mouse. No other animal is so 

 fitly endowed for hunting mice. 



