STUDIES IN STOAT WAYS 177 



Not half the stoats that are caught are trapped 

 by bait ; for the only bait which is a certain charm 

 is something which the stoat has caught itsell, from 

 the enjoyment of which it has been newly disturbed. 

 Many stoats are shot. They pursue young black- 

 birds and thrushes which hover about the sides of 

 country lanes ; and when intent on dragging a black- 

 bird up a bank they give the keeper the easiest of 

 marks. Should his coming drive a feeding stoat 

 to cover, he has only to wait within range for a few 

 minutes for a chance to pull the avenging trigger. 

 Stoats would soon be exterminated if they were 

 attracted to baited traps for the sake of food. It 

 would seem that they come chiefly from curiosity ; for 

 though they live on warm flesh and blood, when they 

 fall victims to traps it is usually in those with the bait 

 stale and strong in scent. 



We heard a gamekeeper say that he would be better 

 pleased to harbour a litter of cubs on his beat than a 



litter of stoats. But this was too flattering 

 Studies a compliment to the stealthiest of the 



keeper's foes : foxes would smile at a com- 



parison between the havoc they play with 

 game interests and all the robber-work of stoats and 

 weasels combined. No doubt the gamekeeper's idea 

 was that while foxes may be found and dealt with 

 according to their deserts without difficulty, stoats 

 may be on the ground and do endless damage before 



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