532 



THE NATURE BOOK 



timid, delicate creatures. They should 

 ne\'er. as is so frequently done, be held 

 up by their tails. It is a cruel practice, 

 for it causes the tail to peel. The skin 

 at the back of the neck should be grasped 

 by the finger and thumb. 



Ferrets are invaluable to gamekeepers, 

 rat-catchers and others, but on account 

 of their vindictive nature require careful 

 handling if bites are to be avoided. Many 

 gamekeepers grasp them firmly round the 

 neck, but a better method is shown in the 

 photograph on page 531. When a ferret is 

 lifted preparatory to its being placed in a 

 rabbit hole it should be grasped firmly 

 round the back just by the forelegs. In this 

 position it can be handled with impunity. 



Lizards and ne\\i:s are more out-of-the- 



way pets, but are very popular with some 

 young people. The smaller varieties re- 

 quire care in handhng to prevent injury. 

 They should be held by the finger and 

 thumb just behind the forelegs. As the 

 larger varieties are much more vigorous 

 (a specimen of this kind is shown in the 

 illustration), they can be taken bodily in 

 the hand and held as depicted. 



The points to be borne in mind in the 

 handling of all animals are gentleness and 

 quickness. We are too apt to forget 

 that animals are as sensiti\'e to pain as 

 human beings, and it should be the duty 

 of everyone who keeps animals for plea- 

 sure or profit to learn how to handle 

 them with the minimum of discomfort 

 to the animals themselves. 



J. H. Powell. 



A VICTIM OF THE FROST. 



