THE WEASEL AND THE STOAT (THE ERMINE). 87 



Narrower and narrower become the circles, the 

 rabbit begins to squeal, then finally it crouches 

 helplessly and awaits its fate. 



An old rabbit, however, will sometimes give a 

 weasel a good run, keeping him occupied for an 

 hour or more, and leading him far afield. A rabbit 

 will even take to water when pursued in this way, 

 and I have known one to swim a wide river, 

 arriving at the other side in a much-exhausted 

 state. 



Weasels seem to be capable of exercising a 

 hypnotic effect upon the creatures they pursue, 

 and even when a rabbit has succeeded in getting 

 away, and is on safe soil, it is often overcome by 

 temporary paralysis. So helpless is it that a man 

 can pick it up, as I myself have done on more than 

 one occasion. I have seen a rabbit so paralysed 

 after having fairly escaped that it was capable only 

 of dragging itself along on its forepaws, its hind- 

 quarters trailing helplessly, as though its spine 

 were broken. 



When two stoats or weasels are hunting together, 

 they work as rapidly and systematically as a pair 

 of well-trained dogs, one following the trail, while 

 the other ranges to left or right. Should the trail 

 turn in the direction of the one that is ranging 

 wide, he picks it up, thus saving his companion a 

 wide detour, and in this way they cut out many 

 a circuit, so saving much time. So keen is their 

 sense of smell, however, that they can scent the 

 trail thirty or forty yards away should the wind 

 be in their favour, and instead of following every 

 twist and turn, as a dog does, they cut off the 

 corners, travelling more or less straight, and re- 

 joining the trail farther up. A weasel seldom 

 actually treads the trail he is running, but follows 



