100 THE WEASEL AND THE STOAT (THE ERMINE). 



per year are not uncommon. My own observa- 

 tions in the north of England and in Scotland, 

 where the weasels feed plenteously on the titlarks 

 that swarm in the bent and the ling, go to prove 

 that at least three litters, and commonly four, are 

 the regular order. I have seen young weasels 

 from May till late September. 



Mating begins in the middle of February, while 

 there is still snow on the hills. The first brood is 

 born at the end of March. Now be it noted that 

 the young are dependent on their mother for just as 

 long a period as gestation takes. Since she runs with 

 her mate throughout the season, it is probable that 

 she conceives her second litter within a day or two 

 of her first litter being born. This would mean 

 that the second family would appear about the 

 middle of May, the third at the end of June, and 

 a possible fourth in the middle of August. Even 

 then, if four litters were produced, the latest kits 

 would be self-supporting by the end of September, 

 which coincides with my own observations. 



By this reckoning we are not allowing any 

 wastage of time, and there is no special reason 

 why we should. A weasel has been known to be 

 nursing her new brood ere the previous brood was 

 properly self-supporting, and there is no doubt 

 that when food is sufficiently abundant this process 

 is repeated throughout the spring and summer. 



The nest, if not deserted, is rebuilt for each new 

 litter, and the half-grown young have been known 

 to take shelter in a nest containing their newly 

 born brothers and sisters. 



SIZE. 



The length of an adult male weasel is usually 

 about 8 inches from the tip of the nose to the root 



