LITTLE BEASTS OF FIELD AND WOOD 



protection. And it seems as though it knew what 

 it was about in seeking the open at such times, 

 as I have never known the ermine to leave the 

 woods in order to follow it, though really much 

 more a creature of the open fields than the other. 



The ermine is particularly fond of white-footed 

 mice, and in winter kills large numbers of them 

 about the stone walls and rotten stumps where 

 the mice have their homes. The chase must be 

 a very exciting one, for the woodmouse is scarcely 

 inferior to the weasel itself in leaping powers, be- 

 sides being a most skilful and erratic dodger, as 

 any one who has ever tried to corner one will 

 bear witness. The slow, fat-bodied meadow-mice 

 should prove much easier victims; but I have 

 seen but little evidence that the ermine depends 

 on them, to any great extent, for food. 



In many places the ermine is said to frequent 

 barns and farm buildings, living on mice and rats 

 and, incidentally, on chickens as well. But those 

 that I have studied have been almost without ex- 



loo 



