288 SHOOTING IN CHINA 



needless to say that my companion, Mr. 

 Simpson of the Old Dock and I carefully 

 conveyed the helpless little ones in our 

 handkerchiefs back to their home. 



That weasels, the little red Siberian 

 weasels, are very prolific all over North 

 China is common knowledge, but few peo- 

 ple are aware that export of their skins, as 

 can be seen in the Customs returns, amounts 

 to millions in the course of a year. Very 

 ingenious too, are their many modes of 

 capturing vermin, but the commonest and 

 most fatal is by means of the old fashioned 

 Springe. In 1890 at the mouth of the 

 Pejoo creek we were witnesses (Tripp, 

 McKie, Stewart and Orman) of a successful 

 night's work. The occupants of three 

 small boats were skinning, as fast as deft 

 fingers could do the work, the previous 

 night's catch of weasels. A cross slit over 

 the nose enabled the operators to get their 

 fingers inside the skin which they drew 

 back over the body inside out merely chop- 

 ping off the obstructions caused by the legs. 

 The carcases, valuable as food, were offered 

 for sale in the Pejao market, while the feet, 

 fry and tails were were put aside as tit-bits 

 to be enjoyed with their well-earned rice. 



