USEFULNESS OF ANIMALS i2r 



tunnellings, and it also feeds upon such creatures 

 as Earthworms, the injurious larva of the Crane 

 Fly, or Daddy Longlegs, as well as Mice, Shrews^ 

 small Reptiles, and Frogs. 



Passing by the Shrews, the Wild Cat, and the 

 Fox, which do not call for particular mention so 

 far as concerns their usefulness, brings us within 

 hail of the Stoat and Weasel. The gamekeeper 

 will tell you that these are two of his worst four- 

 footed enemies, but it should be borne in mind 

 that the Stoat largely helps to keep down the 

 Rabbit, and the Weasel is a match for the detest- 

 able Brown Rat. Game-preserving is a luxury 

 and not a necessity, and one should judge the 

 character of an animal from its status as a wild 

 creature, and not from the standpoint of harm 

 which may be done in some direction where man^ 

 by his own selfish interests, has upset the balance 

 of Nature, and throws the blame very often upon 

 animals which are strictly speaking " not guilty." 



In this section a word or two may be stated in 

 favour of our ocean-loving Mammal, the Whale^ 

 for he supplies us with several useful things which 

 have resulted in special expeditions setting out to 

 track him. Oil, ambergris, and whalebone are 

 obtained from this giant of the sea, with the in- 

 evitable result that in many of our seas it has 

 become considerably lessened in numbers. 



Much might be written of the usefulness of birds. 



