326 Wild Life in Wales 



upon, if not below, the ground ; but that they are not 

 beyond the reach of a Stoat, even in the highest trees, is 

 well exemplified below. 



I was one day fungus hunting, amongst the open trees 

 bordering the Llangowr road, when my attention was drawn 

 to a Stoat, jumping about amongst the grass, in an adjoining 

 field. The trees were large oaks, and chestnuts, standing 

 at a good distance apart, and, taking up a position against 

 the trunk of one of them, 1 remained unnoticed. The 

 Stoat continued gambolling aimlessly about, apparently only 

 bent upon exercise, or enjoying himself in the sun, for he 

 paid no more attention to a couple of rabbits that were 

 feeding near than they did to him. Evidently, too, the 

 rabbits recognised that they had nothing to fear from their 

 arch-enemy in his present mood ; for, although the Stoat 

 once or twice galloped a few yards after one or other of 

 them, in a desultory sort of fashion, they did not run away, 

 but quietly resumed their feeding as soon as he desisted. 

 After rolling about on the grass, mounting upon the tops of 

 various large stones, upon which he sat upright on his 

 haunches for some moments, in order to take a good look 

 round, and going through some other acrobatic feats, the 

 Stoat turned in the direction of where I stood, and had 

 approached me pretty closely, when, of a sudden, his manner 

 completely changed. It was evident that he had struck 

 a trail that interested him, and his excitement visibly 

 increased as he worked out the line. Soon I became aware 

 of a Squirrel, hopping about, on a fungus foray like myself, 

 about a hundred yards up the slope, and away from the 

 wood, and it was quickly apparent that to it belonged the 

 scent which the Stoat was puzzling out. He had approached 

 within a few yards of the Squirrel before either became 

 aware of the presence of the other, and a race for the wood 

 immediately ensued. For pace, the animals were very 

 equally matched, both advancing by long bounds, the Stoat 

 appearing to gain a little ; but when his quarry doubled, he 

 was thrown out several yards, apparently owing to defective 

 vision, and as a result the Squirrel reached a large chestnut, 

 some ten or fifteen yards to the good. The trunk of the 



