Quadrupeds. 3273 



Anecdote of a Weasel and a Frog. — About 4 o'clock on one of the bright sunny af- 

 ternoons of last week, I was passing along a lane near this town, on the south side of 

 which runs a rough stone wall, such as usually divides the fields upon the Cotswold 

 Hills, and on the opposite side of this lane runs a raised foot-way, bordered by a ditch, 

 a very low old wall covered by a hedge. I am thus minute, the more clearly to pic- 

 ture the scene where I witnessed an interesting illustration of that law of Nature by 

 which the death and destruction of one species ministers to the pleasure and life of 

 another. Some eighty or a hundred yards in advance of me, my attention was ar- 

 rested by some low object, moving along the ground and across the highway. In a 

 moment the idea of a weasel entered my mind ; and having a strong impression of its 

 predatory and hunting habits, I moved quickly towards the object in motion, to learn 

 what was going on, thinking, as they hunt by scent, it might be in pursuit. As I 

 advanced towards the moving body it quickened its pace, until I was too near to be 

 pleasant to the weasel, as it proved to be, which was dragging or carrying a large yel- 

 lowish frog by the neck, much in the manner we picture a fox carrying a goose, or as 

 a cat bundles along with an overgrown kitten. The short legs of the weasel obliged 

 it to do its best to meet this difficulty, by stiffening its back and neck, and thus raising 

 itself forwards and upwards, as much as possible, and so made a very decent waddle 

 or walk of it. By the time I reached the party, the weasel with its burden had 

 reached the path, and I was then too near for him to feel himself safe. He instantly 

 abandoned his captive treasure, and ran into the low wall under the hedge, when, as I 

 stood looking at the bleeding victimized frog, I could hear the weasel moving about 

 in the hedge and wall in observation on his prey and me, waiting for some fortunate 

 turn in the tide of his affairs to regain the golden prize of which my interference threat- 

 ened to rob him. Poor fellow ! I could not tell why I should deprive him of the fruit 

 of his labour, or why I should have any pleasure in killing or wounding one who was 

 only following his " lawful occupation," as I was, 



" The meanest things that are, 



Are as free to live, and to enjoy that life, 

 As God was free to form them ; and he that hurts 

 Or harms them there, is guilty of a wrong — 

 Disturbs the economy of Nature's realm, 

 Who, when she formed, designed them their abode." 

 I retired to a considerable distance to watch events. After the lapse of about five 

 minutes, whether roused by the warmth of the sun or the absence of his destroyer, the 

 bleeding frog (not killed) began to move, and made several leaps along the path. The 

 weasel in its ambush had no doubt his eyes upon him, and thought it was time to be 

 doing; so he cautiously ventured out of the hedge, and on to the middle of the path. 

 His low stature rendered his horizon very limited; so, to meet this difficulty, he raised 

 himself on his hind legs, after the manner of a squirrel, to extend his field of view. I 

 distinctly at the distance saw him thus expose the white of his breast and belly, when, 

 discovering no danger near, he dropped down on all fours, ran to his half-revived vic- 

 tim, seized him, and recommenced lugging him away into the ditch and up the low 

 wall aforesaid, along the top of which I saw him drag his bloated burden, when, drop- 

 ping with it off the wall into the next field, I left him to pursue his business, while I 

 pursued mine. I am not aware that there is anything very novel (to a naturalist) in 

 this anecdote, but I thought it might interest some of your readers ; indeed, it strikes 

 me, that the ready way in which the weasel met the difficulties of the case, shows that 



ix. 2 p 



