Squirrel and Stoat 327 



tree was fairly rough, but quite straight, and without 

 branches for about fifteen feet ; about ten feet from the 

 ground there was a hole, where a branch had decayed 

 long ago. 



The Squirrel scampered up the tree without delay, 

 turning spirally round the trunk as it did so, and, passing 

 the hole, was soon lost to view amongst the branches. 

 When the Stoat came to the tree, he first smelt all round it, 

 and apparently taking the Squirrel's foil upon the bark, 

 climbed the tree with almost as much ease as it had done, 

 and following the same spiral course. At the hole he halted 

 a moment, as though to make sure that the game had not 

 sought refuge there, and then went on up amongst the 

 branches. Quite evidently he followed by scent, and 

 presently I saw that he had again come within sight of the 

 Squirrel, amongst the topmost boughs. Here, however, he 

 was no match for his quarry, which leapt to a branch several 

 feet lower, and the Stoat did not dare to follow. The tree 

 was too much isolated to allow of the Squirrel's jumping to 

 another, so it descended with all speed by the trunk, and 

 my oak being the next to it, made directly towards me, and 

 ran up that, within a foot or two of where I stood. T was 

 quite exposed, but remained perfectly still, and the Squirrel 

 gave no indication that it had noticed me. The pursuer, 

 meanwhile, had regained the main limbs of the chestnut, 

 and was carefully trying each branch with his nose. 

 Presently he hit off the trail, and descended upon it as 

 closely as he had followed it before. When he came to the 

 ground, he lost no time in carrying the line up to within a 

 few yards of me ; but, just when I was hoping that he, too, 

 was going to pass me unnoticed, he wheeled suddenly 

 round, and made off down the wood as fast as his legs could 

 carry him. Evidently his keener olfactory powers had 

 warned him of my presence, and I was destined to see no 

 more of him ; but, nevertheless, I was not ill-satisfied, for 

 I had witnessed an altogether most interesting hunt, and 

 one which throws a side-light upon a habit of the Stoat, 

 very easily overlooked. The game-preserver will, of course, 

 remain implacable ; but the timber-planting landowner, and 



