THE OTTER 



partridge, and a great devourer of eggs. In the henrocst and 

 dovecot it is very destructive, its ravages outweighing the ser- 

 vices rendered by destroying rodents in the hedgebanks in summer 

 and stackyards in winter. The stoat, like most of the weasel family, 



Fid. ii. THE STOAT OR ERMINE. 



hunts by " nose," folio wing the scent of rats or rabbits with the greatest 

 pertinacity. It is also capable of climbing trees, capturing unwary 

 birds, and robbing nests of young and eggs. Frequenting stream- 

 banks in quest of brown rats as well as water voles, the stoat often 

 takes to the water, swimming with ease and rapidity. 



The OTTER (Lutra vulgaris), Fig. 12, is included in the family 

 of the Mustelidae or Weasels, but is of aquatic tastes, for which the 



FIG. 12. THE OTTER. 



possession of webbed feet admirably adapts it. The body is of 

 elongated shape, about 2\ ft. in length, the tail somewhat taper- 

 ing, compressed from above dcwnwards, and serving as a rudder 

 to guide the swimming movements of the animal. The legs are 



