92 Mustelid^. MAMMALIA. Mustelid.e. 
concluded was just caught in a poacher’s springe. On 
running towards the spot from whence the sound pro- 
ceded, he saw a hare limping off greatly distressed, with 
something attached to the side of the throat, whicli a 
nearer approach showed to be a stoat. The hare made 
its way into the brushwood with its enemy still clinging 
on. It is a curious fact, that the hare, when pursued 
by the stoat, does not betake itself to its natural means 
of escape — its fleetness of foot — which would in a few 
seconds carry it out of all danger from its little enemy, 
and which it always employs when escaping from the 
chase of dogs or of the fox. On the contrary, it hops 
languidly along, evidentlj' aware of the stoat’s approach, 
yet as if incapable of exerting its powers to avoid the 
impending destruction. Whether this arises from a 
stupid indifference, or from not appreciating its danger, 
or, on the other hand, from intense terror, producing 
an effect similar to that miscalled fascination, which 
the small bright eye of the rattlesnake excites in its 
helpless victims, it is perhaps difficult to decide. The 
stoat is certainl}’- one of the boldest animals of its size. 
It pursues its prey with the greatest intrepidity even 
into circumstances of considerable danger, and, like the 
weasel, will follow it into the water. It will also cross 
the water for the purpose of besieging the haunts of 
the water-vole, Arvicola amphihius, of which it destroys 
.great numbers. In swimming it lifts the head and 
neck well out of the water, like a dog. It hunts its 
prey b}’’ scent.” The ermine is comparatively scarcer 
than the weasel in England ; but in Scotland, as Mr. 
Macgillivray remarks, “ it is certainly of more frecjuent 
occurrence than that species; and for one weasel, I 
have seen at least five or six ermines. It frequents 
stony places and thickets, among which it finds a secure 
retreat, as its agility enables it to outstrip even a dog 
in a short race, and the slimness of its body allows it 
to enter a very small aperture. Patches of furze in 
particular afford it perfect security, and it sometimes 
takes possession of a rabbit’s burrow. With regard to 
this little animal’s boldness and ferocity of disposition, 
we have not only the testimony of the gentlemen above 
named, but that of many others, including Sir John 
Richardson and Captain Lyon. The author of the 
section of this work at present under consideration, 
can also testify to its combativeness, having once been 
imprudent enough to attempt the capture of a specimen 
without any weapon. The little beast immediately 
fastened itself on his armsleeve, but was fortunately 
dislodged by a violent jerk before its teeth had done 
more than graze the skin. On falling to the ground it 
scampered off to the nearest hedgebaidr, and was soon 
out of sight. The ermine is usually caught by very 
simple means, namely, by a traj) in the form of a 
heavy stone or slab, which, being delicately supported 
by a thin stick baited with flesh, at the first or second 
nibble suddenly falls and crushes the intruder. Senti- 
menfal individuals may be disposed to pitj' the poor 
little ermines, who are thus mercilessly destroyed to 
serve for the external adornment of the wealthy ; but 
we beg to remind such persons that it were better, 
without warning, to perish like a stoat beneath the 
squash of a brickbat, than to sit round a well-served 
table with a D.nnoclesian sword suspended over one’s 
head. In respect of geographical distribution, the 
ermine is not confined to the eastern hemisphere ; 
for it is also found abundant in North America. 
It is, however, not much sought after by the furriers 
of the Hudson’s Bay Company, on account of the large 
supply imported into Britain from Russia and the north 
of Europe, which renders it too cheap for a profitable 
competition. In England the female is said to pro- 
duce only four or five young at a single birth ; but, 
according to the Canadian aborigines, it produces in 
America ten or twelve at a litter. The nest is made 
of grass, leaves, and other vegetable matters, and is 
placed in a rat-hole or other forsaken burrow. 
THE WEASEL (Mustela vulgaris ). — Having dwelt 
at considerable length on the character and habits of 
the stoat, which is so closely related to the present 
species, our observations respecting the weasel will be 
necessarily more restricted. It is a smaller animal, 
the body being about eight and a quarter inches in 
length, not including the tail, which would give us at 
least another two inches. The fur is of a reddish-brown 
colour on the back, head, and tail ; but underneath the 
belly and throat it is quite white. The limbs are short 
and hairy up to the extremities of the digits. As we 
have before remarked, its habits are very similar to 
those of the stoat; but, although generally regarded 
as a highly noxious animal under some circumstances, 
would appear to be extremely useful. Mr. Bell, with 
his usual tact in defending the persecuted of animal 
kind, thus advocates its cause : — “ It is not meant to 
be asserted that the weasel will not, when driven by 
hunger, boldly attack the stock of the poultry- yard, or 
occasionally make free with a young rabbit or a sleep- 
ing partridge; but that its usual prey is of a much 
more ignoble character, is proved by daily observation. 
Mice of every description, the field and the water-vole, 
rats, moles, and small birds, are its ordinary food ; and 
from the report of unprejudiced observers, it would 
appear that this pretty animal ought rather to be fos- 
tered as a destroyer of vermin, than extirpated as a 
noxious depredator. Above all, it should not be 
molested in barns, ricks, or granaries, in winch situa- 
tions it is of great service in destroying the colonies of 
mice which infest them. Those only who have wit- 
nessed the multitudinous numbers in which these little 
pests are found, in wheat ricks especially, and have 
seen the manner in which the interior is sometimes 
drilled, as it were, in every direction by their runs, can 
at all appreciate the amount of their depredations; and 
surely the occasional abduction of a chicken or a duck- 
ling, supposing it to be even much more frequently 
chargeable against the weasel than it I'eally is, would 
be but a trifling set-off against the benefit produced 
by the destruction of those swarms of little thieves.” 
Like other creatures preying upon animals, the weasel 
itself falls a prey to enemies of superior strength ; and 
instances have also been recorded where its sharp bite 
has enabled it to destroy its more powerful persecutor. 
The flexibility of the body in such cases is shown to 
be of essential service. Mr. Bell gives the following 
story : — “As a gentleman of the name of Binder, then 
residing at Bloxworth in Dorsetshire, was riding over 
his grounds, he saw at a short distance from him a kite 
