The Common Weasel. 455 



offensive odour wlien provoked by men or dogs, and this habit is 

 exercised likewise in a moderate degree whenever it is engaged 

 in any severe struggle with an animal or bird on which it has 

 seized. We were once attracted by the peculiar and well-known 

 plaintive cry of a hare, in a marsh on the side of one of our 

 Southern rice-fields, and our olfactories were at the same time 

 regaled with the strong fetid odour of the Mink ; we found it in 

 possession of a large marsh-hare, with which, from the appearance 

 of the trampled grass and mud, it had been engaged in a fierce 

 struggle for some time, 



" The Mink, when taken young, becomes very gentle and forms a 

 strong attachment to those who fondle it in a state of domestica- 

 tion. Richardson saw one in the " possession of a Canadian 

 woman, that passed the day in her pocket, looking out occa- 

 sionally when its attention was roused by any unusunl noise." 

 Wq,- had in our possession a pet of this kind for eighteen months ; 

 it regularly made a visit to an adjoining fish-pond both morning 

 and evening, and returned to the house of its own accord, where 

 it continued during the remainder of the day. It waged war 

 against the Norway rats which bad their domicile in the dam that 

 formed the fish-pond, and it caught the frogs which had taken 

 possession of its banks. We did not perceive that it captured 

 many fish, and it never attacked the poultry. It was on good 

 terms with the dogs and cats, and molested no one unless its tail 

 or foot was accidentally trod upon, when it invariably revenged 

 itself by snapping at the foot of the ofi'ender. 



" It was rather dull at mid-day. but very active and playful in 

 the morning and evening and at night. It never emitted its disa- 

 greeable odour except when it had received a sudden and severe 

 hurt. It was fond of squatting in the chimney-corner, and formed 

 a particular attachment to an arm-chair in our study. 



" The Mink brings forth about five or six young in the latter 

 part of the Spring, but it does not appear that more than one 

 litter is produced in the season." 



ARTICLE XL. — The Common Weasel, (Futorius erminea.) 



PuTORius ERMINEA. — Linn. 



White Weasel. — Stoat. 



The common Weasel of Canada is the true Ermine, the animal 

 which in the feudal ages yielded the fur for the most choice 



