186 ANIMAL COMPETITORS 



the skunks, badgers, minks, ferrets and similar 

 animals of the weasel family, albeit they do 

 other things which are less pleasing to the 

 farmer. The smaller weasels easily traverse 

 the surface-runways of the larger species of 

 Microtus, and even follow them into under- 

 ground burrows. The larger weasels feed 

 upon pocket-gophers, prairie-dogs, ground- 

 squirrels, and various kinds of mice and rats. 

 While occasionally they capture game- or song- 

 birds, as well as poultry, their principal food 

 consists of injurious rodents. 



This general statement applies to minks, 

 skunks and badgers, as we shall see when we 

 come to speak of these animals more particu- 

 larly; and nothing could be more unwise than 

 to kill these animals or allow anyone else to 

 kill them upon farm or ranch, except in the oc- 

 casional case where one is known to have ac- 

 quired the habit of taking eggs or poultry. 

 In most cases the blame is placed on the wrong 

 head. Almost all skunks leave birds entirely 

 alone, as also does the badger, which in the 

 gopher country ought to be protected with the 

 utmost solicitude. It has been repeatedly no- 



