CHAP, xin FERRETS AND WEASELS 1 17 



as they could not get their victims through the hole by which 

 they had escaped themselves, a perfect heap of dead bodies 

 was collected round their hutch. When I looked out of my 

 window in the morning, I had the satisfaction of seeing four of 

 the young ferrets, covered with blood, dragging a hen (which I 

 had flattered myself was about to hatch a brood of young 

 pheasants) across the yard which was between the henhouse 

 and where these ferrets were kept ; the remainder of them 

 Were assisting the old one in slaughtering some white rabbits. 

 Their eagerness to escape again, and renew their bloody attacks, 

 showed the excited state the little wretches were in, from this 

 their first essay in killing. 



In the same way the wild animals of the tribe must be 

 wofully destructive when opportunity is afforded them. Sitting 

 opposite a rabbit-hole, I one day saw a tiny weasel bring out 

 four young rabbits one after the other, and carry, or rather 

 drag them away one by one towards her own abode in a cairn 

 of loose stones ; and, a few days ago, I saw one bring three 

 young landrails in as many minutes out of a field of high wheat. 

 In fact, as long as she can find an animal to kill, so long will a 

 weasel hunt, whether in want of food or not. I have frequently 

 seen a weasel, small as he is, kill a full-grown rabbit. The 

 latter is sometimes so frightened at the persevering ferocity of 

 its little enemy, that it lies down and cries out before the weasel 

 has come up. Occasionally these animals join in a company 

 of six or eight, and hunt down rabbit or hare, giving tongue 

 and tracking their unfortunate victim like a pack of beagles. 



There is no doubt that in some degree they repay the 

 damage done to game, by the number of rats and mice which 

 they destroy (the latter being their favourite food). The weasel 

 will take up its abode in a stack-yard, living on the mice and 

 small birds that it catches for some time, and the farmer looks 

 on it as a useful ally ; till, some night, the mice begin to grow 

 scarce, and then the chickens suffer. Eggs, fresh and rotten, 

 are favourite dainties with the weasel. 



I once witnessed a very curious feat of this active little 



animal. I saw a weasel hunting and prying about a stubble 



field in which were several corn-buntings flying about, and 



■ every now and then alighting to sing on the straggling thistles 



that rose above the stubble. Presently the little fellow dis- 



