ERMINE WEASEL. 193 



tunity, and immediately made a sketch of the curious 

 group which he afterwards elaborated, with his unrivalled 

 talent, into the beautiful picture which was now the 

 object of our admiration. The picture was duly exhi- 

 bited at the Royal Academy; and in the ordinary 

 critique on the exhibition which appeared in one of the 

 papers of the day, was the following notice of it : 

 " No . We do not consider this one of Mr. Landseer's 

 happiest efforts. We never saw a Rabbit so large, nor a 

 Ferret of this colour ! " It is a curious fact, that the 

 Hare, when pursued by the Stoat, does not betake itself 

 to its natural means of escape, its fleetness of foot, 

 which would in a few seconds carry it out of all danger 

 from its little enemy, and which it always employs when 

 escaping from the chase of Dogs or of the Fox ; on the 

 contrary, it hops languidly along, evidently aware of 

 the Stoat's approach, yet as if incapable of exerting its 

 powers to avoid the impending destruction. Whether 

 this arises from a stupid indifference, or from not appre- 

 ciating its danger, or, on the other hand, from intense 

 terror, producing an effect similar to that miscalled fasci- 

 nation, which the small bright eye of the Rattlesnake 

 excites in its helpless victims, it is perhaps difficult to 

 decide. 



We are, however, somewhat disposed to believe that 

 the apathy proceeds from a silly ignorance of danger, 

 as we have seen a Hare watching the approach of a Stoat, 

 apparently with great curiosity, and certainly without 

 the least appearance of fear, and occasionally sitting up 

 on her hind legs, to get a better view. The actions of 

 the Stoat, meanwhile, were not less remarkable than 

 those of the Hare. Instead of making a direct approach, 

 it committed a hundred extravagant movements, rolling 

 over and over, leaping up, and even turning summersaults, 



C 



