284 REMIXISCEXCES OF A SPOETSMAX. 



(stoats are called weasels in Ireland) which he had no 

 doubt was swimming for IslandmageCj as he had seen 

 it going in a direct line from the shore, and it had 

 reached the distance by a quarter of a mile when taken. 

 The poor animal was cruelly killed, although its gallant 

 swimming might have pleaded in favour of its life.' 

 In respect of food the stoat is not very dainty, kill- 

 ing and eating any description of wild quadrupeds that 

 he is able to overpower, sucking the eggs of pheasants 

 and partridges, and feasting on the young birds, and even 

 the old ones when he is able to surprise them on the 

 ground.* The stoat in pursuit of its prey haunts woods, 

 hedges, and meadows whose sides are covered with small 

 bushes, and sometimes, though not so often as the 

 weasel, it inhabits barns and outhouses ; when this is 

 the case it frequently makes sad havoc amongst the 

 poultry, killing in one night a great number of them 

 by a bite in the neck and sucking some of their blood. 

 A trap that strikes low with round teeth, and carefully 

 covered over with fine sifted earth, set where the stoat 

 enters the poultry yard, will be sure to catch him. 

 White says, "In September 1834, he witnessed a furious 

 contest between a stoat and a water rat; the rat de- 

 fended himself with great courage and ferocity, but was 

 at length overpowered by the stoat, which seized him 

 just under the ear and bore him off to his retreat." 



About the middle of July 1827, a gentleman at 

 Cathcart wounded a stoat. The animal having escaped 

 into a hole in an old stone wall, the gentleman explored 

 his retreat, when the first victims he met with were a 



* I have mentioned, wlien writing on game, that a keeper of mine told 

 me : " I thinks as how, sir, that a stoat kills as much game in a season 

 as a qualified gentleman." 



