856 Quadrupeds. 



Bat flying in winter. In returning home just now, through the High-street, I 

 have been amused by observing a bat of the smaller kind flitting to and fro in the 

 neighbourhood of the Town Hall, as briskly as if it were midsummer. I had not 

 time to remain and watch it. — Thomas Trapp ; 1, Church-street, Southwark, Ja- 

 nuary 6, 1845. 



Anecdotes of the Weasel. The weasel has already been the subject of several 

 notices in ' The Zoologist,' still I think the following instances of its courage and 

 strength, which fell under my own observation during the past summer, may be worth 

 recording. On the 23rd of April, while near a brook, I observed something moving 

 slowly through the grass, in the direction of the brook, but at a considerable distance 

 from me. There was a hay-stack in the field from which it had apparently come. I 

 walked on with a view to intercept it, and on approaching, I could see it was a weasel 

 dragging something along ; it had, too, by this time, observed me, for it was evidently 

 using every effort to make the brook, but as I also quickened my pace, it was unable 

 to escape with its prey, and therefore relinquished that to secure its own retreat to the 

 bank. On coming up, I found the weasel had been dragging along an uncommonly 

 large domestic rat. Now, when we consider the well-known daring of that animal, I 

 think the courage of the weasel may be considered as fully established. The following, 

 which occurred to me at tlie beginning of July, affords ample proof of its strength. 

 Whilst riding, I observed, at a distance of about one hundred yards, something 

 moving on the road (a declivity), which at first I took for a partridge rolling itself in 

 the dust ; but on getting nearer, I could see it turn completely over. This made me 

 approach with more caution, until I got within twenty yards, when I perceived there 

 were two animals, one of these I could distinguish to be a rabbit, which the other had 

 seized by the shoulder, or side of the neck, I could not tell which ; as I witnessed 

 their struggles, I saw them roll over three different times ; afterwards the weasel (for 

 such it was) very adroitly sprung upon the rabbit, and seized the back of its neck. 

 The rabbit then uttered a most piteous cry, but made no further resistance. I now 

 rode forward, and nearly reached the spot, before the weasel would quit its prey, and 

 even then it did not move more than three or four yards before it turned round, as if 

 " unwilling to stay, yet loath to depart ;" at last, however, it withdrew to the adjoining 

 hedge. The poor rabbit seemed literally bewildered, and remained just as the weasel 

 left it, as if deprived of the power to move. I dismounted, expecting to secure it, 

 but just as I was in the act of doing so, it made a sudden start, and escaped me, but 

 I doubt much whether it would ultimately escape the weasel. I do not think the 

 rabbit was quite full-grown, but certainly not far from it ; and had I not witnessed 

 this scene, I could not have believed that an animal so small as the weasel could have 

 successfully contended against one so much its superior in strength and magnitude. 

 What I have stated will, I think, clear the weasels of the charge of fascination which 

 I have heard imputed to them ; and the only solution that occurs to me is, that the 

 weasel, after having seized its prey, pertinaciously retains its hold until the other 

 becomes exhausted by its unavailing efforts to regain its freedom. — Wm. Turner ; 

 Uppingham, January 6, 1845. 



Food of the Hedgehog. With regard to the hedgehog's guilt in devouring eggs of 

 poultry or game, I can only state, that I have several times taken these animals in 

 traps baited with a hen's e^, intended to ensnare carrion crows ; but whether the 

 hedgehogs had walked into the trap inadvertently, or whether they actually wished to 

 obtain possession of the egg, I cannot say. The inference is certainly against them. 

 — Archibald Jerdon ; Bonjedward, January 9, 1845. 



