60 



Quadrupeds. 



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THE FERRET, (Mustela /two,) 



Is a small, yet bold animal, and an enemy to all others 

 but those of his own kind. He closely resembles the 

 Polecat, and is considered by many naturalists, to be 

 merely a domesticated variety of that animal. His eyes 

 are remarkably fiery. He is much used to drive rabbits 

 from, their holes, and for this purpose is always muzzled, 

 as otherwise he would feast upon the blood of the first 

 rabbit he met with, and then quietly lay himself down 

 in the burrow to sleep. He is such an inveterate enemy 

 to the rabbit, that if a dead one be presented to a young 

 Ferret, he instantly bites it with an appearance of rapa- 

 city ; or, if it be living, the Ferret seizes it by the neck, 

 winds himself round it, and continues to suck its blood 

 till he be satiated ; indeed, his appetite for blood is 

 so strong, that he has been known to attack and kill 

 children in the cradle. He is very soon irritated ; and 

 his bite is very difficult to be cured. 



Our figure is full large, as the length of the animal is 

 usually about thirteen inches, exclusive of the tail, 

 which is about five. 



