WEASEL KIND. ?1 



more strongly in summer than in winter ; and 

 more abominably when irritated or pursued, than 

 when at its ease. It always preys in silence, 

 and never has a cry except when struck, and 

 then it has a rough kind of squeaking, which at 

 once expresses resentment and pain. Its appe- 

 tite for animal food never forsakes it; and it 

 seems even to take a pleasure in the vicinity of 

 putrefaction. M. Buffon tells us of one of them 

 being found, with three young ones, in the car- 

 cass of a wolf that \vas grown putrid, and that 

 had been hung up by the hind legs as a terror 

 to others. Into this horrid retreat the weasel 

 thought proper to retire to bring forth her young : 

 she had furnished the cavity with hay, grass, and 

 leaves ; and the young were just brought forth 

 when they were discovered by a peasant passing 

 that way. 



THE ERMINE, OR STOAT. 



NEXT to the weasel in size, and perfectly alike 

 in figure, is the Ermine. The difference between 

 this and the former animal is so very small, that 

 many, and among the rest Linnaeus, who gives 

 but one description of both, have confounded the 

 two kinds together. However, their differences 

 are sufficient to induce later naturalists to suppose 

 the two kinds distinct ; and as their lights seem 

 preferable, we choose to follow their descriptions.* 



* Buffon. British Zoology. 



