THE WEASEL. 
303 
and as wrens, and robins, and hedge-sparrows hop 
from spray to spray on the lowly bush, just a few 
inches from the ground, it seizes them there, but 
does not begin to eat them until it has conveyed 
them to its place of retreat. 
I once saw a weasel run up an ash tree, and enter 
into a hole about ten feet from the ground. A 
poor starling had made her nest in it ; and as she 
stood wailing on the branch close by, the invader 
came out with a half-fledged young one in his 
mouth, and carried it off. 
The weasel is fond of old dry walls, and of banks 
along hedgerows ; and it frequents small holes in 
grass-fields remote from cover. I have known it 
to make its nest in a corn-stack ; and, on that occa- 
sion, I counted five young ones in it. Five seem 
to be the general number ; and you may see them, 
during the summer months, running at the edge of 
cornfields, with two old ones in their company. 
From what has been said in this paper, the 
reader may judge for himself, and determine whe- 
ther he will make war on the weasel, or allow it to 
remain in peace around him. For my own part 
(as I have already observed), I offer it protection 
here; and I am prepared for the loss of a few 
hares, with the addition of a pheasant's nest or two, 
when I reflect that it is never-ceasing in its pursuit 
of the field-mouse, and that in it may be found 
the most efficacious barrier that we can oppose to 
the encroachments and increase of that insatiate and 
destructive animal — the stranger rat from Hanover, 
