VII. 



A FRIENDLY STOAT. 



FOR many weeks during this winter we have 

 had a most interesting and somewhat unusual 

 visitor, literally about our door, in the person 

 of a white stoat or ermine. It was first noticed 

 toward the end of November, hunting among 

 the shrubs under the windows ; it was then 

 already in its winter snowy dress, save only a 

 patch of brown on the nape of the neck, which 

 patch remained throughout the winter. Often 

 seen during December, it appeared gradually 

 to grow more confiding and tame, frequenting 

 the banks of a little burn flowing close to the 

 house, where on one occasion it was seen 

 climbing with perfect ease in the branches of a 

 tall hazel bush, some ten or twelve feet at least 

 from the ground. According to our winter 

 custom, food for the birds was each morning 

 put out, and by the second week of January 

 the little ermine was to be seen running in 

 among the crowd of chaffinches, blackbirds, 



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