326 



UTILITARIAN ZOOLOGY 



they probably do more good than harm. The Fox, for instance, 

 in spite of his ravages on poultry, destroys large numbers of 

 field-voles and field-mice, together with noxious insects, such as 

 cockchafers. And, of the Weasel (fig. 1232), Ritzema Bos says 

 (in Agricultural Zoology)'. " The weasel does some damage in 



fowl-houses and dove- 



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fill cots, and is also de- 

 structive to game. 

 This, however, does 

 not outweigh its very 

 great use, since it is 

 above all an untiring 

 vole - catcher. When 

 in any region the field- 

 voles have multiplied 

 excessively, an immi- 

 gration of weasels 

 takes place from sur- 

 rounding parts. In 

 years when there is 

 a plague of voles the 

 usual breeding-time in 

 spring is followed by 

 another later on. A 

 very large number of 

 weasels may be found 

 in a vole-infected dis- 

 trict, and they thin 

 out the mischievous 

 rodents in a surprising 

 manner. Nor are the 

 weasels less useful in 

 winter than in sum- 

 mer. They even follow under the snow the voles which winter in 

 the country, and the slaughter effected at this period must exert 

 a great influence on the following season, when these animals re- 

 commence their injurious work." The feelings of poultry-keepers 

 and game-keepers are readily intelligible, but without full know- 

 ledge it is unwise to stigmatize as " vermin " apparently undesir- 

 able animals. Foxes only escape the libel for sporting reasons. 



Fig. 1232. Weasels (Putorius vulgaris) 



