118 The Naturalist in Siluria. 



seconds longer, the stoat or weasel, after a very short 

 interval, being seen to separate from its victim, and to 

 go off after other game. A superficial observer, now 

 regarding the dead body of the rabbit, and not aware of 

 what had preceded, might wonder what had killed it; 

 for there is no mutilation, much less any portion of flesh 

 removed. Closely scanned, however, a wound will be 

 discovered in the creature^s head, the puncture of a vein, 

 so slight as to appear done by a sharp-pointed instru- 

 ment. Yet through this the life-blood of the animal has 

 been drawn and sucked out to its very source, the four- 

 footed vampire contenting itself with the blood, and 

 caring not for the flesh, which it leaves to other carnivora 

 of less fastidious tastes. 



Sometimes rabbits are found with the head eaten off, 

 the body remaining unmutilated and untouched. A case 

 of this kind came under my notice only the other day. 

 I believe this is the work of cats, not weasels, the cat 

 always eating the head of hare and rabbit first, as by 

 preference. 



OUE WEASELS AS A STAIR OF SIX STEPS. 



In relation to our native Mustelidce, two points which 

 seem to have escaped notice may be worthy of it : first, that 

 within the limited area of our islands there are no less 

 than six distinct species, taking the Otter as one ; and 

 second, that in size, or at least length, they should be 

 nicely, almost exactly, graduated as the steps of a stair. 

 An average-sized Otter, from tip of snout to that of tail, will 



