144 WILD NATURE IN STRATHEARN. 



a cheeping noise with the mouth on the back 

 of the hand. It requires a sharp, observant 

 eye to detect them amongst the stones, and a 

 quick shot to shoot them. I have repeatedly 

 shot Weasels during the day by the roadside 

 with a charge of Number 10 from a .410 bore. 

 Children going to school often report seeing 

 Weasels attacking young rabbits, the squealing 

 of which call their attention to the attempted 

 murder. 



Weasels destroy a lot of mice, and so long as 

 they do not invade the poultry or pigeon house, 

 may be tolerated about a farm if rats are trouble- 

 some. The shepherds who appeared before the 

 Vole Plague Committee were loud in their praise 

 of the Whitteret (as they called the Weasel) as a 

 vole destroyer, and declared that the little animal 

 did a lot of good in their district by keeping 

 down mice and voles. 



But of all the vermin that trouble us there are 

 none to approach the Brown Rat. Mice are fairly 

 plentiful everywhere, yet they may be kept in 



