60 ANECDOTES OF ANIMALS. 



skunk, which of all creatures is one of the most disagree- 

 able, in consequence of its fo3tid gland, which secretes 

 the offensive liquor sent forth when the animal is fright- 

 ened or irritated. Nothing will obliterate this odour ; 

 no other scent overcomes it ; no burying in the earth, 

 no washing, will avail ; even time does not cure ; and 

 an article of dress put by for years is still unwearable. 



It is to Weasels and Otters that I shall confine myself 

 in this work ; for about their intellectual powers do we 

 know most. The first is a very courageous beast, not 

 fearing to attack animals much larger than himself 

 even man. A labouring peasant at Glencairn, in Dum- 

 friesshire, was attacked by six of them, who rushed upon 

 him when he was at work in a field. Being frightened 

 at such a furious onset, he fled ; but they pursued him, 

 although he dealt some back-handed strokes with a long 

 horsewhip. He was on the point of being seized by the 

 throat, when he fortunately perceived the fallen branch 

 of a tree. He snatched it up, and making a stand 

 against his enemies, he killed three, and put the others 

 to flight. Another instance is reported by Captain 

 Brown in his Popular Natural History, where the 

 affray commenced by a person striking a weasel, which 

 squeaked aloud. This roused a whole colony, consist- 

 ing of fifteen, who flew at him and bit him severely. A 

 gentleman came to his aid, and with his assistance 

 several of the assailants were killed ; the others ran into 

 the fissures of a neighbouring rock. 



There are instances of weasels having been tamed ; 

 but it is very difficult to make any impression on their 

 affections, although they are very sagacious, and saga- 

 cious animals are more easily influenced than others. 

 The weasel and the stoat are so often mistaken for each 



