422 COMMON WEESEL* 
gives a very pleasing account of the education 
and manners of a Weesel, which she took under 
her protection. She affirms^ that,, far from having 
any predilection for meat in a state of putrifac- 
tion, it, on the contrary, always delighted most in 
that which was perfectly fresh. For the two or three 
first days it was fed with warm milk ; and after- 
wards with veal, beef, or mutton. It frequently 
eat from her hand^ and seemed to be more de- 
lighted with this manner of feeding than any 
other. It was very fond of milk. If I pour 
(says M. de Laistre) some milk into my hand, it 
will drink a good deal, but if I have not this com- 
plaisance, it will scarce drink a drop. When it is 
satisfied it generally goes to sleep : my chamber 
is the place of its residence, and I have found a 
method of dispelling its strong smell by perfumes: 
by day it sleeps in a quilt, into which it gets by 
an unsown place on the edge, which it has disco- 
vered. By night it is kept in a wired box or 
cage, which it always enters with reluctance, and 
leaves with pleasure. If it be set at liberty be- 
fore my time of rising, after a thousand httle 
playful tricks, it gets into bed, and goes to sleep 
in my hand or on my bosom. If I am up first, it 
spends a full half hour in caressing me, playing 
with my fingers like a little dog, jumping on my 
head, on my neck, running round my arms and 
body, with a lightness and elegance which I ne- 
ver beheld in any other animal. If I present my 
hands, at the distance of three feet, it jumps into 
them without ever missing. It shews a great 
