THE COMMON WEESEL. SSI 



sidence ; and I have found a method of dispelhng 

 its strong smell by perfumes. By day, its sleeps iti 

 a quilt, into which it gets by an unsown place which 

 it had discovered on the edge : during the night, it 

 is kept in a wired box or cage ; which it always en- 

 ters with reluctance, and leaves with pleasure. If 

 it be set at liberty before my time of rising, after 

 a thousand little playful tricks, it gets into my bed, 

 and goes to sleep in my hand or on my bosom. 

 If I am up first, it spends a full half-hour in ca- 

 ressing me ; playing with my fingers like a little 

 Dog, jumping on my head and on my neck, and 

 yunmng round on my arms and body with a light- 

 ness and elegance which I never found in any other 

 animal. If I present my hands at the distance of 

 three feet, it jumps into them without ever missing. 

 It shews a great deal of address and cunnins; in order 

 to compass its ends, and seems to disobey certain 

 prohibitions merely through caprice. During all its 

 actions, it seenis solicitous to divert, and to be no- 

 ticed ; looking, at every jump, and at every turn, to 

 see whether it is observed or not. If no notice be 

 taken of its gambols, it ceases them immediately, 

 and betakes itself to sleep; and even when awaked, 

 from the soundest sleep it instantly resumes its, 

 gaiety, and frolics about in as sprightly a manner as 

 before. It never shews any ill-humour, unlesa 

 when confined, or teased too much ; in which case 

 it expresses its displeasure by a sort of murmur, very 

 different from that which it utters when pleased. 



*^ In the midst of twenty people, this little ani- 

 mal distinguishes my voice, seeks me out^ and. 



