422 COMMON WEESEL. 



gives a very pleasing account of the education 

 and manners of a Weesel, which she took under 

 her protection. She affirms, that, far from having 

 any predilection for meat in a state of putrifac- 

 tion, it, on the contrary, always delighted most in 

 that which was perfectly fresh. For the two or three 

 first days it was fed with warm milk; and after- 

 wards with veal, beef, or mutton. It frequently 

 eat from her hand, and seemed to be more de- 

 lighted with this manner of feeding than any 

 other. It was very fond of milk. " If I pour 

 (says M. de Laistre) some milk into my hand, it 

 will drink a good deal, but if I have not this com- 

 plaisance, it will scarce drink a drop. When it is 

 satisfied it generally goes to sleep : my chamber 

 is the place of its residence, and I have found a 

 method of dispelling its strong smell by perfumes : 

 by day it sleeps in a quilt, into which it gets by 

 an unsown place on the edge, which it has disco- 

 vered. By night it is kept in a wired box or 

 cage, which it always enters with reluctance, and 

 leaves with pleasure. If it be set at liberty be- 

 fore my time of rising, after a thousand little 

 playful tricks, it gets into bed, and goes to sleep 

 in my hand or on my bosom. If I am up first, it 

 spends a full half hour in caressing me, playing 

 with my fingers like a little dog, jumping on my 

 head, on my neck, running round my arms and 

 body, with a lightness and elegance which I ne- 

 ver beheld in any other animal. If I present my 

 hands, at the distance of three feet, it jumps into 

 them without ever missing. It shews a great. 



