The Wit of the Wild 



r 



himself can get a chance to do so with his gun. 

 I have known one recently to conquer a half- 

 grown house-cat. 



Thus, between their coveting the value of his 

 fur and their vexation at his depredations upon 

 the farmyard and the game-preserve, most men 

 are at enmity with the weasel and compel him 

 to be on his guard whenever he goes abroad. 

 Yet so secretive and sly is he, so exceedingly 

 alert, quick, and courageous, that he maintains 

 himself in great numbers everywhere outside 

 of towns; and even in large villages you may 

 find his tracks on the snow on winter mornings, 

 " a chain that is blown away by the wind and 

 melted by the sun, links with pairs of parallel 

 dots the gaps of farm fences, and winds 

 through and along walls and zigzag lines of 

 rails," as Rowland Robinson says. 



Civilization, indeed, has helped rather than 

 hurt him and his tribe. His food does not con- 

 sist altogether, or perhaps mainly, of birds, 

 but even if it did he would be benefited by the 

 human clearing and cultivation of the wilder- 

 ness, because these bring about a multiplica- 



*$ 8 5 



