14 THE PESTS OF THE FARM. 



beauty perhaps none that excel it in the qualities of courage, grace- 

 ful celerity of movement, and untiring activity. Its whole aspect in- 

 spires the beholder with an idea of its character which is well sup- 

 ported by its actions. The long and slender body, bright and pier- 

 cing eyes, keen teeth and sharp claws, clearly show that, however di- 

 minutive the animal may appear, it is destined by nature to destroy 

 other creatures more numerous and less powerful than those of its 

 own race ; this length and slenderness of body are accompanied by a 

 peculiar degree of flexibility, and by a strength of limb, which, in 

 so small an animal, may be fairly esteemed surprising. There is 

 scarcely an opening through which its prey can enter, where the 

 weasel cannot follow, and having once gained access, its instinctive 

 destructiveness is only allayed when no other victim remains to 

 be slaughtered. 



In the northern parts of this continent, and the northern por- 

 tions of Asia, the ermine is found in the greatest abundance ; yet 

 it is by no means limited to northern regions, since it is found 

 throughout a vast expanse of country, reaching from the highest 

 northern latitudes to the middle states of the Union. In the mid- 

 dle and eastern states it is most generally known as the weasel / 

 farther north it is called stoat in its summer, and ermine in its win- 

 ter pelage of pure white. 



The habits of the ermine weasel are very analogous to those of 

 the common weasel of Europe, and as its general configuration is 

 so nearly similar, it is not surprising that this animal should have 

 been confounded with the European species. This weasel fre- 

 quents the barns and out-houses of plantations, and its retreat is 

 generally well secured beneath the floors or rafters, amid accumu- 

 lations of timber or stone, or in similar situations. Mice and 

 various other depredators on the granary are the special objects of 

 its pursuit, and the rapid multiplication of many of these devour- 

 ers of grain could scarcely be sufficiently restrained, were it not 

 that the weasel is capable of tracing them throughout their 1 iby- 

 rinths, and possesses the disposition to destroy all that come 

 within its reach. If the efforts of this weasel were confined to the 

 destruction of these little depredators, we might consider it as the 

 best friend to the husbandman ; but occasionally a contribution is 

 levied on the hen-roost, and the morning's light exhibits an uni- 

 versal slaughter of the poultry, whose throats are cut, or heads 

 eaten off. It is scarcely possible to prevent such occurrences when 

 these animals are resident in the vicinity, as they can gain access 



