OUDER V. 



CAENIVOEA. 



157 



female lias a curious propcnsitv for laying in a store of food, often stowing 

 uway frogs and toads in an apartment in its burrow, disal)ling each, without 

 killing it, by puncturing the skull. An instance of the kind is related in 

 Bewick's Quadrupeds. "During a severe storm, one of these animals was 

 traced in the snow from the side of a rivulet to its hole. As it was 

 observed to have made frequent trips, and as other marks were to be seen 

 in the snow which could not be easily accounted for, it was thought a mat- 

 ter worthy of greater attention. Its hole was accordingly examined, the 

 polecat taken, and eleven fine eels were discovered to be the fruits of its 

 nocturnal exertions. The marks on the snow were found to have been 

 made by the motions of tlie eels while in the creature's mouth." 



The FEiiKET ( .1/. J'tiro) is much like the former in character, and 

 is considered by some a variety of it, although the first is it native of 

 Europe, and the latter was introduced from Africa to >S]iain, to destroy 

 the rabbits, which, at a time during the llonian rule, desolated the peninsula. 

 Its color is a pale yellow, grizzled with long, black hairs. It is often 

 tamed, Ijut even in domestication is a dangerous aninuil ; and one instance 

 is recorded where it came near killing a young child. 



It has an extraordinary antipathy to rabbits, and is remarkable for the 

 tenacity of its bite. A bargeman once finding himself much incommoded 

 by- rats, procured a ferret to destroy them. The ferret remaining away a 

 considerable time, he thoutrht that it was devourinar some rats that it had 

 killed, and went to slccj^, but was awakened by the ferret, who was com- 

 mencing an attack upon liim. The animal had seized him near the eye- 

 brow, and the man, alter trying in vain to dislodge it, was obliged to cut 

 off its head with a knife, and even then his eyebrow was with diUiculty 

 released from the teeth. 



The Ali'ixe Fol'JIAut (M. alpliKc) is smaller than the polecat, and 

 of a sulphur-yellow color. It inhabits the Altaic mountains. The Java 

 Feuret (J/, nudipvs), of a brilliant golden-yellow, is a native of Java; 

 and the Peuoua.sca (M. Saruiatlcd) , oi a rich brown, back and sides 

 mottled with yellow, throat and belly black, inhabits I'oland and .South- 

 ern Russia. 



The Co3LMON ^VEASEL {21. vi(I(jarls). — This animal inhabits the 

 temperate zone of the northern hemisphere, and is well known in the Old 

 and Xew "World. It is reddish-brown above, and white beneath. Its total 

 length is seven and a half inches. In cold climates its fur changes to 

 white in winter. It is an animal of surjirising courage, having the boldness 

 of the lion and the tenacity of the bull-dog. It will attack animals far larger 

 than itself, and proves sometimes troublesome even to man. There is an Afri- 

 can variety double its size, distinguished by the same ferocious disposition. 



