The Weasel 59 



Europe they are very numerous. Mice of every descrip- 

 tion, the field and the water-vole, rats, moles, and small 

 birds, are their ordinary food, and occasionally rabbits 

 and partridges. When driven by hunger, it will boldly 

 attack the poultry-yard. The Weasel, when it enters a 

 hen roost, never meddles with the cocks or old hens, but 

 makes choice of the pullets and young chickens ; these 

 it kills with a single stroke on the head, and carries 

 away one after the other. It sucks the eggs with 

 avidity, making a small hole at one end, through which 

 it draws out the yolk. In winter it resides in granaries 

 and hay-lofts, and in summer chooses the low lands 

 about the mills and streams, where it hides among the 

 bushes, and in the hollows of old trees. 



It was formerly supposed that the Weasel was un- 

 tamable ; but Buifon, in a supplementary volume, cor- 

 rects this error, and from a letter of a female correspond- 

 ent, shows that it may be rendered as familiar as a cat 

 or a lapdog. It frequently eat from his correspondent's 

 hand, and seemed fonder of milk and fresh meat than of 

 any other food. "If I present my hands," says this 

 lady, " at the distance of three feet, it jumps into them 

 without ever missing. It shows a great deal of address 

 and cunning, in order to accomplish its ends, and seems 

 to disobey certain prohibitions merely through caprice. 

 During all its actions it seems solicitous to divert and 

 be noticed, looking at every jump and at every turn to 

 see whether it be observed or not. If no notice be 

 taken of its gambols, it ceases them immediately, and 

 betakes itself to sleep; and when awaked from the 

 soundest sleep, it instantly resumes its gaiety, and frolics 

 about in as sprightly a manner as before. It never 

 shows any ill humour, unless when confined or too much 

 teased, in which case it expresses its displeasure by a 

 sort of murmur, very different from that which it utters 

 when pleased." 



Weasels and ferrets are used by rat-catchers to drive 

 the rats out of their holes ; and they kill a great many, 

 the habit of the Weasel being to kill its prey by biting 

 the head, so that the teeth penetrate the brain, and then 

 to throw the body aside, or hide it till a future period. 



