THROUGH THE YEAR in 



of bird, beast or fish ; and, until we have something 

 like an exact account of this side of each typical wild 

 creature, it must be very hard to decide whether or 

 not " the lower animals " act through a mind or 

 reasoning power like ours. 



Two animals which, I am sure, are worth very 

 close study are the weasel and the stoat. For years 

 past I have had letters from people in all parts of 

 England describing the clever or cunning ways of 

 these creatures. Besides, keepers and other observers 

 have given me their experiences in the same matter. 

 Some time ago a great man of letters wrote to me 

 that he had seen a weasel kittening about with a 

 bit of rabbit's fur in order to " amuse " some small 

 birds in a hedge. " It was a devilish spectacle. 

 The little fiend played pat-ball with the fur, rolled 

 and jumped and turned head over heels, and the 

 birds cheeped feebly at the game." This weasel 

 game is known to many people, though the bit of 

 rabbit fur for a ball is new. The idea is that the 

 weasel performs thus to fascinate the spectators or 

 put them off their guard, so that he may get within 

 striking distance of one of them. Whether this 

 is the design or not, I think it clear the habit is 

 common to the whole race of weasels. If it be in- 

 telligence, it is intelligence of the dead-level kind, 

 which we find in the bee and the ant. One weasel's 

 device is every weasel's device. 



