FERRETS, STOATS, AND WEASELS. 73 



skylarks' feathers. I have also found parts of young hares at 

 weasels' camps, but never a sign of a rabbit." 



Mr. Yarborough, of Kohukohu (Hokianga), states that stoats 

 and weasels do not seem to be so numerous now (1916) as they were 

 some few years ago. At that time a great number of these intrepid 

 little animals appeared on the eastern side of Hokianga Estuary, 

 and were occasionally observed swimming across the river, which 

 is about a mile wide. For the last year or more they have neither 

 been seen nor heard of. The same observation has been made of 

 the occurrence of these animals on the peninsula on which the Porto- 

 bello Marine Fish-hatchery stands. Three or four years ago they 

 were very abundant, but recently there are few to be seen. 



In Taranaki a correspondent informed me last year that either 

 stoats or weasels destroyed a litter of nine sucking-pigs in one 

 night. Another informant states that " at Lee Stream, in the 

 Taieri district, I saw a rabbit paralysed with fright and uttering 

 squeals of terror, and on looking for the cause observed a stoat 

 fully 10 ft. away walking deliberately towards its victim. The 

 rabbit was killed by one bite on the neck. A few weeks ago a lady 

 informed me that she had seen a somewhat similar occurrence at 

 Brighton, but in this case the rabbit struggled to the lady for pro- 

 tection, and fell trembling at her feet, while the stoat disappeared." 



A few years ago stoats were fairly common in the suburbs of 

 Wellington, and made great depredations amongst poultry, enter- 

 ing the fowlhouses at night. My son describes seeing a couple 

 playing in a vacant section at Hataitai, and taking not the slightest 

 notice of passers-by. 



