158 OF WEESELS IN GENERAL. 



the Pine Martin, that is not occasionally to be 

 found in the neighbourhood of farm-yards, and 

 houses in which poultry and pigeons are kept. 

 Among these they sometimes commit enormous 

 depredations, often killing many more than they 

 can either eat or carry off to their places of con- 

 cealment. Some content themselves with sucking 

 the blood, or eating the brain, leaving the re- 

 mainder of the body untouched behind them. 



These animals, for the most part, issue from their 

 hiding places in search of food only during the 

 night. Many of them are known to catch birds, 

 and particularly game, when at roost in trees, or 

 on the ground. They are all extremely voracious 

 of eggs, and some of them are fond of honey or 

 fruit ; but none, at least of the English species, 

 have been known to prey upon fish. 



They are a most lively and active race; and 

 when abroad, and in a native state, may often be 

 seen to amuse themselves in elegant and pleasing 

 gambols. It is possible to tame, and, in some mea- 

 sure, to domesticate the greater part of the spe- 

 cies; but their odour is in general so fetid and 

 offensive, particularly when they happen to be 

 irritated, that few persons have been induced to 

 make the attempt. The claws ofWeesels are not 

 retractile, or capable of being withdrawn into 

 sheaths, as in the animals of the preceding tribe; nor 

 do they stand in any need of having these extremely 

 sharp, since in taking their prey they depend much 



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