250 Practical Game Preserving. 



by which this "worthy" little creature obtains its food, 

 and it will be seen, taking all things together, that there 

 are now left but small birds and mice to enumerate as 

 forming that part of the weasel's food the destruction of 

 which is less antagonistic to our wishes. But there are few 

 who would not lament that our song birds and the merry 

 little feathered friends which enliven and beautify our 

 English countryside should serve as food to such pests as 

 the weasel and stoat, and it is our experience not to 

 regard the weasel as a desirable animal to be cared for 

 and allowed to multiply. Perhaps they are useful. We 

 confess we cannot quite see how, when, or where, but 

 when we do, no one will be more eager to acknowledge a 

 mistake. 



Respecting the fur of the weasel, it may be said that in 

 the British Isles it never changes its colour in the winter 

 months, but this is rather common in other countries, and 

 has occurred in the north of Scotland and in England 

 during very severe winters, although the change is never 

 wholly complete upon the body, whilst the tail curiously 

 retains its reddish colour similarly to the stoat. The fur 

 is like that of all vermin, impregnated with a certain foetid 

 smell, but is less so than any of the other weasels, and 

 has no power at all approaching that of the polecat, of 

 emitting any such odour as mentioned in connection with 

 that animal. 



The name by which this mustela is known pretty generally 

 throughout the country is "weasel," except in the western 

 counties, where it is known as " white-throated fitchet " and 

 " futterit," the latter being also employed in other districts but 



