581 
by a single bite between the eyes and the ears. Whole coveys of 
quail are often killed by weasels, but the marks of their teeth being 
very small, may be easily overlooked,and the quail be supposed to 
have frozen to death. On the other hand, it should be remembered 
that these raids on useful animals are comparatively rare, while 
every night in the year the weasel’s unceasing slaughter of mice, 
rats, and other vermin goes on. It is probably a fact—hard as 
it may be to convince the farmer of it if his chicken-coop has been 
visited by weasels—that in the long run he receives more good than 
harm from them. 
If their burrows are found it is not difficult to so set a trap at 
the entrance that they will be caught. Notwithstanding the com- 
mon opinion to the contrary, weasels are neither very shy nor very 
cunning. I have repeatedly had them crop up within twenty feet 
and watch me from the sheltering undergrowth or a brush-heap. 
OTTER. 
Lutra canadensis (Schreber). 
Mustela lutra canadensis Schreb., Saugth., 1776, Pl. CX XVLI., B; text, 1778. 
The common otter was originally found in favorable localities 
throughout the United States, and in British America nearly to the 
Arctic Ocean. It is still sparingly scattered over this wide range. 
I have not been able to find any proof of the otter’s having been 
taken in this county, but at least an occasional one must have 
wandered along the larger rivers. Otters are still found in the 
swamps in the southern part of the state. During the winter of 
1907-08 several were taken in the cypress swamps of Alexander 
county. 
INSECT-EATING ANIMALS. 
INSECTIVORA. 
COOPER’S SHREW; LONG-TAILED SHREW. 
Sorex personatus |. Geoffroy-Saint-Hilaire. 
(Mém. du Mus. Hist. Nat. Paris, XV., 1827, pp. 122-125.) 
Sorex coopert Bachm., Journ. Acad. Nat. Sci. Phil., 1837, p. 388, Pl. XXIV., Fig. 7. 
This little mammal is distributed over all the northern part of 
North America from the Atlantic to the Pacific, and south, in the 
