THE WEASEL. 451 



than by killing one, as I was told by a gentleman sportsman, native of the 

 country, they, in the remote parts, believing that the Weasels were the Cats 

 belonging to the country when the Danes held sway over it ; but I made 

 no enquiry whether the Weasel was properly so called, or its near relative, 

 the Stoat." 



In July, 1887, the following letter was received from Mr. 

 Charles Meldon, of Woodpark, Scariff, Co. Clare : — 



"Sir, — My attention was arrested, when reading 'The Field' of 



Saturday, by a note of yours (annexed to a letter headed ' A Trap for 



Weasels '), stating that it is doubtful if the Weasel exists in Ireland, and 



suggesting that the Stoat is the animal which is mistaken for it. Now I 



am in a position to throw some light on this interesting subject. Living 



in Ireland, and having had ample opportunity of becoming acquainted with 



the enemies that attack game, I can state that until last Sunday week (July, 



1887) I never saw in Ireland what is known in England as ' the Stoat.' 



My knowledge of this species of vermin is extensive, inasmuch as for some 



years past I have had a shooting in Hants, where Stoats abounded uutil my 



keeper got rid of them. The Stoat is very much larger than the Weasel, 



much coarser, with a black-tipped tail, and emits when hunted or annoyed 



a most pungent stench. The Weasel is much smaller, finer in the head, 



sharper-looking, brighter and more piercing eyes, easily attracted by 



imitation of the cry of the Rabbit, and, so far as I am aware, it does not 



emit the same fearful stench as the * Stoat.' Of the smaller animal called 



the Weasel I have seen (caught and shot) hundreds in Ireland ; they are 



very numerous. The Weasel in Ireland, as in England (where I have also 



met with a large number), follows and destroys Rits, which the Stoat (so 



far as I am aware) does not do. As before mentioned, Stoats and Weasels 



were numerous at my shooting in England, and I am well acquainted with 



both animals and their habits. I have shot all descriptions of game in 



Ireland, and have seen hundreds of what are called Weasels in England, 



but have never seen a ' Stoat' until last Sunday week, when I killed one 



under most peculiar circumstances. Having recently taken a shooting 



here, where there are a fair number of Rabbits, I came to reside a fortnight 



ago. On my return home, on the day named, one of my servants reported 



the presence of a strange animal in the dining-room. Having proceeded 



there, I killed a medium-sized Stoat, the skin of which I preserved as a 



curiosity, as never having seen one in Ireland. When hunted, the Stoat 



emitted and filled the house with the stench peculiar to the species. From 



enquiries 1 have made about it, also because of the Rabbits not being so 



numerous as they should be, and from their habits, which are in some 



respects peculiar where Stoats abound, I believe that there are Stoats here; 



but I have not seen any except the one I killed. I have seen and shot 



