180 



FUR FACTS 



The female will bring forth a litter of from four to eight young 

 at a time and generally chooses a hollow tree, or a hollow log, or a 

 hole in the rocks as a breeding place. It is said that if the young are 

 in danger, the mother will carry them oflF cat fashion to a place of 

 safety, is not afraid of any animal, and shows remarkable courage, 

 and will defend her young with|her life if necessary. The female 

 weasel is devoted to her kittens. The parallel of the weasel can 



ERMINE OR WHITE WEASEL 



hardly be found among any of the larger animals. Most animals that 

 secure a sufficient amount of food are satisfied to wait until their 

 hunger again prompts them to go forth in search of food, but not so 

 with the weasel or ermine. It will assail any of the smaller animals at 

 any time and almost any place, on the ground, in the tree tops, and 

 it is even said that it will attack a muskrat in the water. Its main de- 

 sire is evidently to deliberately kill, and it is probably rightfully 

 called the most blood-thirsty of any of the smaller carnivora. 



