THE WEASEL. 



OF Weasels, there are several kinds. Some 

 of them are certainly not pleasant ani- 

 mals — the Skunk, for example. The Stoat is 

 another kind. Its tail is always black at the tip, 

 and longer and more bushy than that of the com- 

 mon Weasel, but then it is twice bis size. The 

 Stoat is much the more mischievous animal of 

 the two, and dearly likes to devour a Cock or a 

 Hen. 



The Weasel preys upon smaller game. It does 

 not play with the Mice which it catches, but gives 

 them at once a bite on the head which pierces 

 the brain, and kills them in a moment and with- 

 out apparent pain. If the Weasel thinks that it 

 has not killed the Mouse, it throws its long, little 

 body over it, so as to secure it, should the first 

 bite have failed — an accident, however, which 

 rarely happens. Some people say that Weasels 

 eat Snakes; this seems to be a mistake. 



A curious story is told by a Mr. Pindar. One 

 day, while riding over his grounds, he saw a Kite 

 suddenly pounce down and take up something in 

 its talons. Shortly, however, the Kite began to 

 show signs of great distress ; at one moment ris- 

 ing swiftly in the air, at another flying down with 



all its might, wheeling round and round, and try- 

 ing to shake off something tliat was fastened un- 

 der its wings. After a sharp fight, down came 

 tlie Kite with a flap, quite dead ; and Mr. Pindar, 

 who had been watching close at hand, came up, 

 and saw a Weasel quietly running away, appar- 

 ently unhurt. On turning the bird over, it was 

 found the Weasel had eaten a hole through the 

 skin under the wing, and torn through the large 

 blood-vessels. 



Weasels are very kind to their young, and if 

 a Dog comes near their nest, they will attack 

 him, and even a man, with the greatest boldness. 

 The nest is made of dried grass and soft leaves. 

 Sometimes in a warm, comfortable, hollow old 

 tree ; sometimes in a snug hole in a bank. 



There is a sort of Weasel called the Ermine. 

 Observe the picture. You see that the animal 

 has a different jacket in the winter from that 

 which he has in tlie summer. Some say that 

 the brown hair of summer turns to white in the 

 winter, the whole being of the purest white at 

 that season, except a black tip at the end of the 

 tail. But others say that new hairs grow. 



Captain Ross tried an experiment upon another 



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