458 The Common Weasel. 



nisli in number. Their active little enemy is able to force its 

 thin vermiform body into the burrovrs, it follovt^s them to the end 

 of their galleries, and destroys whole families. We have on several 

 occasions, after a light snow, followed the trail of this weasel 

 through fields and meadows, and witnessed the immense destruc- 

 tion which it occasioned in a s'ngle night. It enters every hole 

 under stumps, logs, stone heaps and fences, and evidence of its 

 bloody deeds are seen in the mutilated remains of the mice scattered 

 on the snow. The little chipping or ground squirrel, Tamias 

 Lysteri^ takes up its residence in the vicinity of the grain fields, 

 and is known to carry ofif in its cheek pouches vast quantities of 

 wheat and buckwheat, to serve as winter stores. The Ermine 

 instinctively discovers these snug retreats, and in the space of a 

 few minutes destroys a whole family of these beautiful little 

 Tamim ; without even resting awhile until it has consumed its 

 now abundant food, its appetite craving for more blood, as if im- 

 pelled by an irresistible destiny, it proceeds in search of other 

 objects on which it may glut its insatiable vampire-like thirst. 

 The Norway rat, and the common house-mouse take possession of 

 our barns, wheat stacks, and granaries, and destroy vast quantities 

 of grain. In some instances the farmer is reluctantly compelled, 

 to pay even more than a tithe in contributions towards the sup- 

 port of these pests. Let however an Ermine find its way into 

 these barns and granaries, and there take up its winter residence, 

 and the havoc which is made among the rats and mice will soon 

 be observable. The Ermine pursues them to their farthest retreats, 

 and in a few weeks the premises are entirely free from their de- 

 predations. We once placed a half domesticated Ermine in an 

 outhouse infested with rats, shutting up the holes on the outside 

 to prevent thein escape. The little animal soon commenced his 

 work of destruction. The squeaking of the rats was heard through- 

 out the day. In the evening, it came out licking its mouth, and 

 seeming like a hound after a long chase, much fatigued. A board 

 of the floor was raised to enable us to ascertain the result of our 

 experiment, and an immense number of rats were observed, which 

 although they had been killed on different parts of the building, 

 had been dragged together, forming a compact heap." 



" The Ermine is then of immense benefit to the farmer. We 

 are of the opinion that it has been over-hated and too indiscrimi- 

 nately persecuted. If detected in the poultry house, there is some 

 excuse for destroying it, as, like the dog that has once been caught 



