WEASELS 



ception dwellers of woodlands and rocky pastures 

 and brier-grown roadsides. The chief service that 

 they can claim credit for is the destruction of 

 wild mice, and their worst crime the murder of 

 partridges and song-birds. 



In summer they catch insects and reptiles, and 

 rob birds' nests by the dozen, and have even been 

 seen to spring into the air and catch birds on the 

 wing, though in all probability most of the birds 

 they capture are surprised on the ground, either by 

 the ermine's creeping silently upon them, or lying 

 hidden in the grass near where they are feed- 

 ing, until one happens to come within springing 

 distance. At night they must frequently succeed 

 in surprising those that roost near the ground, and 

 pounce upon them before they have time to take 

 alarm. 



At times they frequent the banks of small 

 brooks, after the manner of minks, especially those 

 brooks that have rocky shores and a quick current ; 

 and it is not by any means impossible that they 



