THE WEASEL. 363 



exertions in keeping off his assailants, that he would soon have sunk under their united 

 attacks had he not been rescued by the timely assistance of a horseman who happened 

 to pass near the spot, and who came to the rescue with his whip. Urged by their blood- 

 thirsty instinct, the Weasels all directed their efforts to the throat, and made their 

 attacks in such rapid succession that their opponent was solely occupied in tearing 

 away the active little creatures and flinging them on the ground, without being per- 

 mitted the necessary leisure for killing or maiming his pertinacious antagonists. 



It seems that the Weasels will unite their forces for the purposes of sport as well as 

 for those of attack, and will hunt down their game in regular form. Not long ago, 

 as a gentleman was walking in the fields, he saw a number of small objects moving in 

 a line, which he at first took for partridges, but which turned out to be Weasels, which 

 were evidently following the track of some animal by its scent. Having his gun with 

 him, he fired, and found that he had shot no less than six Weasels which had brought 

 themselves into a line with the gun. 



A most curious example of mingled courage and presence of mind displayed by this 

 animal is related by Mr. Bell in his History of British Quadrupeds. 



As a gentleman was riding over his grounds, he saw a kite pounce upon some object 

 and carry it from the ground. In a short time the kite showed symptoms of uneasiness, 

 trying to free itself from some annoying object by means of its talons, and flapping about 

 in a very bewildered manner. In a few minutes the kite fell dead to the earth, and when 

 the spectator of the aerial combat approached, a Weasel ran away from the dead body of 

 the bird, itself being apparently uninjured. On examination of the kite's body, it was 

 found that the Weasel, which had been marked out for the kite's repast, had in its turn 

 become the assailant, and had attacked the unprotected parts which lie beneath the wings. 

 A considerable wound had been made in that spot, and the large blood-vessels torn 

 through. 



The same writer relates a curious anecdote of the conduct of a Weasel towards a 

 snake which was placed in the same box. The snake did not attempt to attack the 

 Weasel, nor the Weasel the snake, both animals appearing equally unwilling to become 

 the assailant. After a while, the Weasel bit the snake once or twice near the nose, but 

 not with any degree of violence, and as the two creatures appeared to be indifferent to 

 each other, the snake was removed. That this peaceable demeanor on the part of the 

 Weasel was not owing to any sluggishness on its own part, was made sufficiently evident 

 by the fact that when a mouse was introduced into the same box, the Weasel imme- 

 diately issued from its corner, and with a single bite laid the mouse dead. The experi- 

 ment was made for the purpose of ascertaining whether the Weasel would kill and eat a 

 snake, which had been asserted to be the case. 



The fondness of the Weasel for frogs has already been recorded. A curious instance 

 of the nonchalant manner in which the Weasel will sometimes gratify this predilection, 

 occurred at a church near Oxford where I for some time officiated. One morning, during 

 service, a Weasel was seen to creep into the chancel through a small door which led into 

 the churchyard, and to walk gently into the middle of the floor. It sat up and recon- 

 noitred the locality for a few moments, and then retired. But in a very short time 

 it returned with a frog in its mouth, carried its prey into the middle of the floor, and 

 there ate it, undisturbed by the presence of the congregation or the sound of many voices. 



That the Weasel, when its numbers are not very great, is a valuable ally to the farmer 

 and the poultry-fancier, is now generally acknowledged. But there are instances where it 

 has played the part which is generally attributed to a powerful ally, and has, after 

 successfully extirpating the foes against whom it was summoned, taken possession of 

 the country which it came to save. There was a certain fish-pond which was suddenly 

 invaded by a large body of rats, which bored the banks in every direction, caught and 

 ate the fish and were so insolent in the confidence of their numbers and strength that they 

 would sit openly at the mouth of their burrows, and boldly challenge any one who ap- 

 proached too near them. The nuisance increased with great rapidity, when it was un- 

 expectedly checked by the advent of a party of Weasels, which in their turn took posses- 

 sion of the burrows, and in a short time had driven away or killed every one of the rats. 

 The fish were thus saved, and their owner felt a very warm gratitude towards the 



