WEASEL KIND. 109 



mal seems naturally compelled to the life for 

 which it has long been remarkable. Its only re- 

 source is to climb a tree, which it does with great 

 ease, and there it waits with patience until some 

 large animal passes underneath, upon which it 

 darts down with unerring certainty, and destroys 

 it. 



It is chiefly in North America that this vora- 

 cious creature is seen lurking among the thick 

 branches of trees, in order to surprise the deer, 

 with which the extensive forests of that part of 

 the world abound. Endued with a degree of 

 patience equal to its rapacity, the glutton singles 

 out such trees as it observes marked by the teeth 

 or the antlers of the deer ; and is known to re- 

 main there watching for several days together. 

 If it has fixed upon a wrong tree, and finds that 

 the deer have either left that part of the country, 

 or cautiously shun the place, it reluctantly de- 

 scends, pursues the beaver to its retreat, or even 

 ventures into the water in pursuit of fishes. But 

 if it happens that, by long attention and keeping 

 close, at last the elk or the rein-deer happens to 

 pass that way, it at once darts down upon them, 

 sticks its claws between their shoulders, and re- 

 mains there unalterably firm. It is in vain that 

 the large frighted animal increases its speed, or 

 threatens with its branching horns ; the glutton 

 having taken possession of its post, nothing can 

 drive it off: its enormous prey drives rapidly along 

 amongst the thickest wood, rubs itself against the 

 largest trees, and tears down the branches with 

 its expanded horns; but still its insatiable foe 



