ICO DIVISION I. VKKTEBRAL ANIMALS. — CLASS I. MAMMALIA. 



my linnil, and .survcy.s, witli an inquisitive air, wliatcvcr I liappcn to liold. 

 I must further observe, tliat lie plays with a youiig- cat and dog, Ijoth of 

 some size, getting about their necks and paws without their doing him tiie 

 least liarm." 



Tlie fallowing story regarding a weasel is told iu Selkirkshire: "A 

 group of hayiiiakers, while busy at their work on C'liapelhope ^leadow, at 

 the upper end of St. INIary's Loeh, — or rather of the Loch of the Lowes, 

 whirh is separated from it i)v a narri)W neck of land, — saw an eat^le rising 

 above the steep mountains that enclose the narrow Aalley. Tiie eagle him- 

 self was, indeed, no imusual sight; but there is something so imposing and 

 majestic in the tiight i)l' this noble Ijird, while he soars u[iwards in s|}iral 

 circles, that it fascinates the attention of most jicople. Hut the spectators 

 were soon aware of something peculiar in the fiight of the bird they were 

 observing. lie used his wings violently, and the strokes were often 

 repeated, as if he had been alarmed and hurried by unusual agitation ; and 

 they noticed, at the same time, that he wheeled in circles that seemed con- 

 stantly decreasing, \\hile his ascent was proportionally rapid. The now 

 idle ha\niakers drew together in close consultation on the singular case, and 

 continued to watch the seemingly distressed eagle, until he was nearly out 

 of sight, rising slill higher and higher into the air. In a short while, how- 

 ever, they were all coiuinced that he was again seeking the eai'th, evidently 

 not, as he asceudi'il. in spiral curves ; it was like something falling, and with 

 great ra[iidity. Jiut, as lie approached (he ground, they clearly saw he was 

 tumbling in his fall like a shot binl ; the convulsive iluttering of his power- 

 ful wings stopping the descent but very little, until be fell at a short dis- 

 tance fi'om the men and boys of the party, who had naturally run forward, 

 highly excited by the strange occurrence. A large black-tailed weasel, 

 or stoat, ran from the body as ihey came near; turned with the iio»- 

 cliuhiHce and impudence of the tribe ; stood up upon its hind legs ; crossed 

 its fore paws over its nose, and surveyed its enemies a moment or two, — 

 as they often do when no dog is near, — and bounded into a saugli-busli. 

 The king of the air was dead, and, what was more surprising, he was 

 covered with his own blood ; and, upon further examination, they found his 

 throat cut, and the weasel has been suspected as the regicide until this 

 day." 



The Stoat or Ermine {M. crminca') is well known' by its fur, with 

 which all persons are familiar. In summer the animal is light-brown, 

 whii.-li changes to a -sellowish-white iu winter. In warm countries, how- 

 ever, the fur never changes color. The ermine is spread through all the 

 northern regions of the world, and is eonnnon to both the Old and Aew 

 Continents. As an article of commerce it is highly esteemed. In Northern 



