136 FAMILIAR LIFE IN FIELD AND FOREST. 



bend himself in the most extraordinary way and seize 

 his prey at the greatest possible advantage. 



The weasel climbs trees with perfect ease, and 

 rifles a bird's nest of its occupants or eggs, as the case 

 may be. In the bam, among the grain stacks and 

 hayricks, he is an invaluable friend to the farmer, 

 for he will quickly rid the premises of all mice and 

 rats. 



According to Mr. Outram Bangs, the range of this 

 weasel extends nearly across the continent, through 

 the forest belt; his range has been positively fixed 

 from Long Island and Connecticut northward to Lab- 

 rador, and westward at least to Fort Snelling, Minn. 

 He turns white in winter throughout this range ; the 

 hindquarters are tinged with sulphur yellow. The 

 skin of this weasel has no especial market value. 



The larger weasel, mistakenly called the ermine or 

 stoat (Puto/'itts novehoracensis — Putoriiis enninea of 

 Coues), is not identical with the European species, 

 which is considered so valuable for its white fur.* 

 As a bloodthirsty cliaracter he has no parallel among 

 the mammals ; this seems to be a universal opinion 

 among those who know the remarkable little crea- 



* Elliott Coues, in Pur-bearing Animals, makes no distinction 

 between the European ermine and this larger weasel. The differ- 

 ences, however, are very great, and more than sufBoient to induce 

 me to adopt the conclusions of later authors. 



