86 



THE WORLD OF ANIMAL LIFE 



burrowing animals, they are, of course, greatly assisted by the shape 

 of their bodies, which allows them to make their way into the 

 narrowest of holes. 



The weasel is one of the most interesting of the small flesh-eat- 

 ing mammals. It has 

 two great qualities — 

 mtelligence and cour- 

 age, and, taken together, 

 they enable it to tri- 

 umph over animals far 

 larger and stronger 

 than itself There is 

 no doubt that weasels 

 do a great deal of mis- 

 chief among poultry 

 and game, and they 

 are especially destruc- 

 tive to hares and rabbits. 

 But some naturalists 

 believe that the harm 

 they do to the farmer 

 is more than balanced 

 by their assistance in 

 killing mice, rats, and 

 voles. 



The weasel is ex- 

 traordinarily active in 

 following up its prey. 

 It can track almost as 

 surely by scent as by 

 sight, can climb trees as 

 well as burrow into the 

 earth, and when within springing distance its attack is unerring. 



Weasels are not only very courageous, but often combine 

 for offence and defence. It is recorded that a peasant in 

 Dumfriesshire, while working in a field, was attacked by six 

 weasels, which pursued him until he fortunately found a broken 



The Weasel 



