HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 221 



The Weafel is a wild and untraceable little animal. 

 When kept in a cage, it feems in a continual ftate of 

 agitation, is terrified at the fight of every perfon that ap- 

 proaches to look at it, and hides itfelf in the wool or hay 

 which is given to it for that purpofe. 



It conveys all its food to its hiding-place, and will not 

 touch it till it begin to putrefy. — It pafiTes the greateft 

 part of the day in fleeping, and ufually employs the - night 

 in exercife and eating. 



The female brings forth in the fpring, and generally 

 produces four or five at one litter. She prepares a bed 

 for them of ftraw, leaves, and mofs. The young are 

 brought forth blind; but very foon acquire Strength 

 enough to follow their dam, and aflift in her excursions. 

 They will attack ferpents, water-rats, moles, field-mice, 

 &c. : They over-run the meadows ; and frequently kill 

 the partridges, and fuck their eggs. 



The motion of the Weafel confifts in unequal and pre- 

 cipitant leaps ; and in climbing a tree, it makes a confi* 

 derable fpring of fome feet from the ground. It jumps 

 in the fame manner upon its prey ; and being extremely 

 limber, evades the attempts of much Stronger animals to 

 feize it 



We are told, that an eagle having feized a Weafel, 

 mounted into the air with it, and was foon after obferved 

 to be in great diftrefs. Its little enemy had extricated it- 

 felf fo far, as to be able to bite it feverely in the throat ; 

 which prefently brought the eagle to the ground, and 

 gave the Weafel an opportunity of efcaping. 



Notwithstanding the wildnefs of its nature, there are 

 not wanting inftances to prove, that it is capable of being 

 thoroughly tamed. M. BufFon, who afTerted the impoffi- 

 bility of bringing the Weafel into any degree of fubjec- 



