POLECAT, STOAT, WEASEL, HEDGEHOG. Ill 



If a farmer, instead of employing the village 

 rat-catcher to run his ferrets through a stack 

 occasionally, trusts that Providence, in this 

 instance kindly inclining the balance in his 

 favour, will send such a sufficient number of 

 stoats and weasels as may exterminate any rats 

 which may try to breed in it, he does not act 

 much more wisely than if he trusts to the 

 natural inequalities in the ground to carry off 

 superfluous rain, instead of making drains. 



One summer day we saw a turkey which 

 was about six weeks old apparently entangled 

 in some long grass. Going to help it, we found 

 a weasel had it by the throat. As it could not 

 live, we dropped it, and watched with the gun, 

 and soon, seeing the grass move, shot its 

 murderer. 



A few weeks afterwards a servant found a 

 large Brahmapootra hen killed by a stoat close 

 to the house. The stoat had her also by the 

 throat. Kow, we argue, that if these acts are 

 committed where these creatmres have been 



