STOATS. 123 



very bold, sometimes entering sheds close to dwelling- 

 houses. The labouring people — at least the elder folk — 

 declare that they have been known to suck the blood of 

 infants left asleep in the cradle upon the floor, biting the 

 child behind the ear. They hunt in couples also — seldom 

 in larger numbers. I have seen three at work together, 

 and with a single shot killed two out of the trio. In 

 elegance of shape they surpass the weasel, and the colour 

 is brighter. Their range of destruction seems only 

 limited by their strength : they attack anything they can 

 manage. 



The keeper looks upon weasel and stoat as bitter 

 foes, to be ruthlessly exterminated with shot and gin. He 

 lays to their charge deadly crimes of murder, the death of 

 rabbits, hares, birds, the theft and destruction of his young 

 broods, even occasional abstraction of a chicken close to 

 his very door, despite the dogs chained there. They are 

 not easily shot, being quick to take shelter at the sight of 

 a dog, and when hard hit with the pellets frequently 

 escaping, though perhaps to die. Both weasel and stoat, 

 and especially the latter, will snap viciously at the dog 

 that overtakes them, even when sore wounded, always 

 aiming to fix their teeth in his nose, and fighting savagely 

 to the last gasp. The keeper slays a wonderful number 

 in the course of a year, yet they seem as plentiful as 

 ever. He traps perhaps more than he shoots. 



It is not always safe to touch a stoat caught in a trap ; 



