294 WEASELS AND STOATS 



LXXIV 



There is no more engaging beast of prey than the little 

 weasels weasel the whittret, as we call it in Scotland, 

 and stoats by a contraction of the syllables ' white throat.' 

 It is bad luck that it is so irredeemably in the category of 

 vermin, for undoubtedly it does far more good than ill to 

 the interests of man. The present plague of rats, for 

 instance, which has reached an almost intolerable pitch 

 in many parts of the country, may be traced chiefly to 

 two sources namely, the feeding broadcast of thousands 

 of hand-reared pheasants in the woods during the winter, 

 and the rigorous suppression of weasels in the interests of 

 game. There is no denying that the weasel is a blood- 

 thirsty little rascal nothing of his own bulk, furred or 

 feathered, that crosses his path is safe from assault ; but 

 his favourite prey consists of rats, mice, and voles. It is 

 doubtful, therefore, whether the game preserver, were he 

 to succeed in extirpating weasels, would not incur greater 

 evils by the multiplication of rats. 



Mr. Millais, in his sumptuous work on The Mammals of 

 Great Britain and Ireland, of which the second volume 

 appeared during last autumn, has reminded us that 

 weasels are expert climbers, and prey upon small birds, 

 which they follow into the branches. I have never 

 happened to see them so occupied, but a few days ago 

 (1905) a lady staying in my house witnessed a deed of 

 blood in this manner. Opposite her bedroom window 

 stands a fine holly tree, thickly set with gleaming scarlet 

 berries. A company of fieldfares were busy of a morning 

 thinning the crop, when my friend noticed a disturbance 

 among the branches. Presently there was a white flash 





