68 ANIMAL LIFE OF THE BRITISH ISLES. 



female who has young will, indeed, exhibit the greatest courage 

 and ferocity in their defence. The Stoat hunts by scent, and 

 its movements consist largely of a succession of low bounds 

 which give its progress a snake-like appearance and like the 

 other members of the family it makes sidelong leaps. Many 

 years ago, whilst walking along a woodland road in Surrey, we 

 paused to listen to cries of terror in the cover far ahead. A 

 panic-stricken young Rabbit came into the open in our direction 

 swiftly pursued by a Stoat which rapidly gained upon it. As 

 it came near the Rabbit became aware of our presence and 

 appeared deliberately to change its course, and fell on its side 

 exhausted against our feet. The Stoat, by this time only a 

 few yards away, stopped, and looked up at us with a snarling 

 expression, but kept out of reach of our uplifted stick. Realising 

 that the hunt had failed and the Rabbit had found a spoil- 

 sport protector, the Stoat then made off into the bracken ; 

 whilst the panting Rabbit allowed us to carry it on our arm for 

 half a mile until it had recovered. Its natural fear of man was 

 not nearly so great as its terror inspired by the bloodthirsty 

 Stoat ; and when at length it was set down in what was 

 judged to be a safe place, it hopped off without any frightened 

 haste. 



It appears that the Hare under similar conditions does not 

 exert itself greatly to escape from the Stoat, but becomes so 

 terrorised as to be unable to adopt methods which so frequently 

 outwit the Fox or the fleetness of trained hounds. 



The nursery is made in a hole in the bank, the hollow of a 

 decayed tree, or in the retreat of a female Mole who has been 

 killed or evicted. Here about April or May the female Stoat 

 gives birth to four or five young, which she will defend with 

 great fierceness against all dangers. 



The distribution of the Stoat extends eastward from Great 

 Britain into Asia, and from the Alps and Pyrenees across 

 Europe to its arctic shores. 



