116 BULLETIN NO. VII. 



Of the mental characteristics of the ermine much has been 

 written. In spite of its innocent appearance the little animal 

 is probably the most bloodthirsty and blindly ferocious of our 

 Garni vora. The following account, kindly furnished me by 

 Dr. T. S. Roberts, illustrates the blind fury with which it re- 

 sents interference : 



"Going to a place on a small island in Lake of the Isles 

 where had been left on the 12th inst. , the skinned bodies of six 

 muskrats, it was found that they had all disappeared. While 

 standing near the spot the white head of a weasel appeared at a 

 hole under the roots of a small oak tree close by. It soon with- 

 drew again, and a steel trap was set at the entrance to the bur- 

 row. Presently it appeared at a second opening near by. Here 

 -a second trap was set. The weasel would come to the entrance, 

 look out and go back again, passing and repassing with great 

 agility over the trap without springing it. On walking away 

 some distance and looking back the weasel was seen out of his 

 retreat, and making violent efforts to drag the muskrat into his 

 hole. On approaching again he tore away at the body furi- 

 ously, but was forced to leave it. He seemed of a very irritable 

 disposition, as he would tear and bite in the most insane man- 

 ner at sticks and roots in the entrance of the hole, as if in 

 a great rage. Once he appeared at the entrance and seizing one 

 of the jaws of the trap tried to drag the whole down with him. 

 At last, in a more than usually precipitate retreat over the 

 trap he sprung it, and was a prisoner. He was as fierce as any 

 large animal, and showed great fight." 



Dr. Merriam says : "I once put a very large rat into a square 

 tin cage with a weasel of this species. The rat had been caught 

 in a steel trap by the toes of one of its hind feet, and was in no 

 way injured. He was very ugly, biting fiercely at the trap and 

 the stick with which I assisted him into the cage of the weasel. 

 No sooner had he entered the cage than his whole manner and 

 bearing changed. He immediately assumed an attitude of 

 abject terror, and trembled from head to foot, and crawled into 

 the nearest corner. The weasel advanced toward him at once, 

 and as he did so the rat raised on his hind legs, letting his fore 

 paws hang helplessly over his breast, and squealed piteously. 

 not only did he show no disposition to fight, but offered no re- 

 sistance whatever, and did not even attempt to defend himself 

 when molested. The weasel did not seize him at first, but 

 cuffed him with his fore paws, and drove him from one corner 

 of the cage to another, glaring at him continuously. Then, 



