LITTLE BEASTS OF FIELD AND WOOD 



with hallow and decaying trees in abundance, 

 and at present there are almost no traps set in a 

 manner that need disturb creatures of their habits. 

 Partridges, rabbits, and squirrels, which form their 

 principal food, are nearly if not quite as abundant 

 as before the country was settled, so that it would 

 certainly not require any very decided change of 

 habits to enable them to exist ; but evidently the 

 root of the matter goes deeper than that, and, like 

 some tribes of Indians, it is impossible for them 

 to multiply or flourish except in the primeval 

 forest. 



The common weasel or ermine, which is the 

 the only kind I have seen hereabouts, would 

 seem to have everything on its side in the 

 struggle for existence, and when one happens 

 to be killed by some larger inhabitant of the 

 woods it must be due entirely to its own care- 

 lessness. Nevertheless, they do occasionally fall 

 victims to owls and foxes, and I once shot a red- 

 tailed hawk that was in the act of devouring one. 



72 



