170 HORSES AND HOUNDS. 



hopping along in the grass, which I took for a large, long-tailed 

 field mouse, I stood still, as it was approaching my position, 

 and when within a foot or two of the spot on which I was 

 standing, so that I could have a full view of the animal, a very- 

 small weasel appeared and quickly disappeared again in a tuft 

 of grass. On searching the spot I discovered a mouse-hole, 

 into which Mr. Weasel had retreated. 



It should be borne in mind that, as the stoat lives chiefly 

 upon rabbits, game, and birds, and is a great enemy, therefore, 

 to the game preserver, yet the weasel, preying upon rats and 

 mice more particularly, is especially a friend to the farmer. An 

 owl and a weasel in a barn will kill more rats and mice than 

 half-a-dozen cats ; for, while the owl is watching and pouncing 

 upon the mice which appear above ground, the weasel is pur- 

 suing them below. 



In the keeper's catalogue of vermin, which, of his own 

 making, like a lawyer's bill, is a pretty long one, the bird of 

 wisdom, as well as the bird of ill omen, is j)nt down as a 

 debtor. The plea against the owls, however, is upon a parallel 

 with the accusation against those poor, harmless animals, 

 hedgehogs, which are gravely accused of not only sucking eggs, 

 but, by some, of milking cows as well. The owl never leaves 

 his place of shelter until the shades of evening are falling; and 

 although a young rabbit may occasionally be justly laid to his 

 charge, he seldom oifends further against the game laws ; and 

 the great service he renders farmers and the public generally in 

 destroying such quantities of mice, ought to ensure his pro- 

 tection. Against hawks and kites I admit a true bill ought to 

 be found — but spare the owls. 



Polecats and stoats have their young in the months of March 

 and April, producing five or six, and sometimes seven, at a 

 litter, which are laid up in an old hollow tree or rabbits' hole in 

 a dry bank, in cracks of rocks, and old walls. The best traps 

 in which these vermin may be caught are the wooden boxes, 

 called in some countries witches, and the common figure of 4, 

 with a stone tile. As they almost invariably have their runs 

 by the side of hedges and walls, the wooden box is a sure trap. 

 These boxes may be made of any size, and I have used them 

 constantly. Mine were made wdth both ends open, and two 

 falling doors instead of one. They were placed first for a week 

 or ten days quite open, without being set ; and when afterwards 

 set, seldom failed to produce some tenant of the weasel tribe, 

 safely, though harmlessly, secured. I have seen them also 

 used on a large scale, to catch rabbits. The wood bounds being 

 made good, holes were made at certain distances in the bank, 



