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-MAMMALIA.- 



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concluded was just caught iu a poacher's springe. On 

 running towards the spot from wlience tlie sound pro- 

 ccded, he saw a liare limping ofT greatly distressed, with 

 something attached to the side of the throat, which a 

 nearer approach showed to be a stoat. The liare made 

 its way into the hrtisliwood with its enemj' still clinging 

 un. It is a curious fact, that the hare, when pursued 

 liy the stoat, does not betaUe itself to its natural means 

 of escape — its fleetness of foot — which would in a few 

 seconds carry it out of all danger from its little enemy, 

 and which it always employs when escaping from the 

 chase of dogs or of the fox. On the contrary, it hops 

 languid!}' along, evidently aware of the stoat's approach, 

 yet as if incapable of exerting its powers to avoid the 

 impending destruction. Whether this arises from a 

 stupid indifference, or from not appreciating its danger, 

 or, on the other hand, from intense terror, producing 

 an effect similar to that miscalled fascination, whieli 

 the small bright eye of the rattlesnake excites iii its 

 helpless victims, it is perhaps diflficnlt to decide. The 

 stoat is certainly one of the boldest animals of its size. 

 It pursues its prey with the greatest intrepidity even 

 into circumstances of considerable danger, and, like the 

 weasel, will follow it into the water. It will also cross 

 the water for the purpose of Iiesieging the haunts of 

 the water-vole, Arvicola amjiliihius, of which it destroys 

 great numbers. In swimming it lifts the head and 

 neck well out of the water, like a dog. It hunts its 

 prey by scent." The ermine is comparatively scarcer 

 tlian the weasel in England ; but in Scotland, as Mr. 

 Macgillivray remarks, " it is certainly of more frecpient 

 occurrence than that species ; and for one weasel, I 

 have seen at least five or six ermines. It frequents 

 stony places and thickets, among which it finds a secure 

 retreat, as its agility enables it to outstrip even a dog 

 in a short race, and the slimness of its body allows it 

 to enter a very small aperture. Patches of furze in 

 particular afford it perfect security, and it sometimes 

 takes possession of a rabbit's burrow. With regard to 

 tills little animal's boldness and ferocity of disposition, 

 we have not only the testimony of the gentlemen above 

 named, but that of many others, including Sir John 

 Hichardson and Captain Lyon. The author of the 

 section of this work at present under consideration, 

 can also testify to its combativeness, having once been 

 imijrudent enough to attempt the capture of a specimen 

 without any weapon. The little beast immediately 

 fistened itself on his armsleeve, but was fortunately 

 dislodged by a violent jerk before its teeth had done 

 more than graze the skin. On falling to the ground it 

 scampered oft' to the nearest hedgebank, and was soon 

 out of sight. The ermine is usually caught by very 

 simple means, namely, by a trap in the form of a 

 heavy stone or slab, which, being delicately supported 

 by a thin stick baited with flesh, at tlie first or second 

 nibble suddenly falls and crashes the intruder. Senti- 

 mental individuals may be disposed to pity the poor 

 little ermines, who are thus mercilessly destroj'ed to 

 serve for the external adornment of the wealthy; but 

 we beg to remind such persons that it were better, 

 without warning, to perish hke a stoat beneath the 

 squash of a brickbat, than to sit round a well-served 

 table with a L' imoclesian sword susiieniled over one's 



head. In respect of geographical distribution, the 

 ermine is not confined to the eastern hemisphere ; 

 for it is also found abundant in North America. 

 It is, however, not much sought after by the furriers 

 of the Hudson's Bay Company, on account of the large 

 supply imported into Britain from Russia and the north 

 of Europe, which renders it too cheap for a profitable 

 competition. In England the female is said to pro 

 duoe only four or five young at a single birth ; but, 

 according to the Canadian aborigines, it produces iu 

 America ten or twelve at a litter. The nest is made 

 of grass, leaves, and other vegetable matters, and is 

 placed in a rat-hole or other forsaken burrow. 



THE WEASEL {Mttstela vulgaris). — Having dwelt 

 at considerable length on the character and habits of 

 the stoat, which is so closely related to the present 

 species, our observations respecting the weasel will be 

 necessarily' more restricted. It is a smaller animal, 

 the body being about eight and a quarter inches in 

 length, not including the tail, which would give us at 

 least another two inches. The fur is of a reddish-brown 

 colour on the back, head, and tail ; but underneath the 

 belly and throat it is quite white. The limbs are short 

 anil hairy up to the extremities of the digits. As we 

 have before remarked, its habits are very similar to 

 those of the stoat; but, although generally regarded 

 as a highly noxious animal under some circumstances, 

 would appear to be extremely useful. Mr. Bell, with 

 bis usual tact in defending the persecuted of animal 

 kind, thus advocates its cause : — " It is not meant to 

 be asserted that the weasel will not, when driven by 

 hunger, boldly attack the stock of the poultry yard, or 

 occasionally make free with a young rabbit or a sleep- 

 ing partridge; but tliat its usual prey is of a much 

 more ignoble character, is proved by daily observation. 

 Mice of every descri]ition, the field and the water-vole, 

 rats, moles, and small birds, are its ordinary food ; and 

 from the report of unprejudiced observers, it would 

 appear that this pretty animal ought rather to be fos- 

 tered as a destroyer of vermin, than extir]iated as a 

 noxious depredator. Above all, it should not be 

 molested in barns, ricks, or granaries, in wdiich situa- 

 tions it is of great service in destroying the colonies of 

 mice which infest them. Those only who have wit- 

 nessed the multitudinous numhers in which these little 

 pests are found, in wheat ricks especially, and have 

 seen the manner in which the interior is sometimes 

 drilled, as it were, in every direction by their runs, can 

 at all appreciate the amount of their depredations; and 

 surely the occasional abduction of a chicken or a duck- 

 ling, supposing it to be even much more frequently 

 chargeable against the weasel than it really is, would 

 he but a trifling set-olT against the benefit produced 

 by the destruction of those swarms of little thieves." 

 Like other creatures preying upon animals, the weasel 

 itself falls a prey to enemies of superior strength ; and 

 instances have also been recorded wdiere its sharp bite 

 has enabled it to destroy its more powerful persecutor. 

 The flexibility of the body in such cases is shown to 

 be of essential service. Mr. Befl gives the following 

 story : — "As a gentleman of the name of Binder, then 

 residing at Bloxworth in Dorsetshire, was riding over 

 his grounds he saw at a short distance from him a kite 



