WEASEL. | ' NATURAL HISTORY. 339 | 
them from place to place, and changeth place and dwelling, 
for her nest should not be found. The Weasel pursueth 
and eateth serpents, and hateth and eateth mice. And their. 
opinion is false that mean that Weasels conceive at mouth, 
and kitteneth at the ear. And if the Weasel’s kittens fall 
by any hap in chines or in pits, and be hurt or dead, the 
Weasel healeth them with a certain herb, and reareth them 
from death to life. And eateth rue, and balmeth herself 
with the juice thereof, and reseth [rages] then on the 
cockatrice, and assaileth, and slayeth him without any dread 
boldly. The Weasel knoweth soon of the cockatrice, and 
goeth into his den and slayeth him there. And is a beast 
that sleepeth much, and waxeth fat with sleep, and hath 
gall that helpeth much against adders. And so if a man 
fall into lethargy, the sleeping evil, by venom of an adder, 
the ashes of a Weasel, tempered with drops of water, dis- 
solveth and destroyeth the strength and might of the sleep. 
His biting is malicious and venomous. 
Bartholomew (Berthelet), bk. xviii. § 74. 
Ir Weasels come unto dead men they will pull out their 
eyes. Hunters hold opinion here in England that, if they 
meet with a Weasel in the morning, they shall not speed 
