The Wit of the Wild 



r 



In the New England, or Middle States, al- 

 most nothing exists to alarm him, except man 

 and his guns, dogs, and traps. Where wild- 

 cats range the woods, he no dcubt falls into 

 their grasp now and then, and then sells his life 

 as dearly as possible ; and that he would " die 

 game " even within the jaws of a wolf one may 

 be sure who has seen his sturdy, undaunted 

 struggle with a dog. I have read and have seen 

 pictured accounts of birds of prey having 

 seized weasels of one kind or another that in 

 turn fastened upon the bird's throat or body, 

 and so were carried up into the air until they 

 had gnawed the bird's life away, and both came 

 tumbling to earth locked in mutual murder. 

 It is quite possible something of this sort may 

 occasionally happen, but I have never seen it, 

 nor can I find any evidence of a predatory bird 

 in this country ever having seized a weasel, 

 even by mistake, for something easier to handle. 



This animal's endowment of especial valor 

 seems, therefore, superlative, and tending to 

 needless slaughter and cruelty in nature. But 

 this quality is probably an inheritance from 



*$ 10 So* 



