Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1879-04-09

pile. or in the deserted burrow of some
other ANIMAL 1t rarely, psrhlps never,
burrows for itself. The young are pro-
duced about April-the litter varies frorn
three or four TO ten or. even in rare cases.
more. In its habits ii is chiefly nocturnal.
but is not infrequently seen hunting for
food in the day time. MIR. G. S. Paine of
Randolph in Il recent letter tells me that
n neigobor discovered one not long ago in
pursuit of II rat in his front hall. and
hSve known OF other similar instances.
One of my friends was attracted BY a noise
in his cellar and upon investigator found
il proceeded from an empty cider barrel
into which as il proved, IL rat had run
through the bung- hole. chased by "wea
sci" The pursuit WAS so hot that the rat,
on discovering his mistake in bringing
himself into such close quarters, did not
dare to stop long enough TO turn and es-
cape by the only opening, that by which
he entered. and for quite long time the
chase went on, pursuer and pursued rush
ing around and around the btrrel until ut
last the rat received its death blow. These
facts Indicate, what is true, that the err
mine is not very shy in its disposition,
iluSu iOSo oOs L tiiiuhb tuttl lut WtiSel, anu
very often boldly approaches or even
enters dwellings.
BY many the ermine is dsliked because
of lis deslructiveness when it finds itself
among poultry, but on the whole it would
seem TO be Il useful rather than an njuri-
GUS animal. Its character and habits have
not changed since the time when Audubon
wrote AS follows, after speaking of the
havoc which rats and mice often make in
ii Cranary: Let, however, an ermine find
its way into these barns and ganaries, and
there take up its winter residence, and the
havoc which is made among the rats and
mice will soon be observable. The ermine
pursues them to their flrthest retreats, and
III few weeks the premises are entirely
free from their depredations. We once
placed II half domesticaled ermine in an
clubhouse infested with rats. shutting up
the holes on the outside 10 prevent their
escape. The little animal soon commenced
his work of destruction. The squeaking
Of rats was heard throughout the day. In
he evening it came out licking its mouth,
and seemed like Il hound after u long
chase much fatigued. A board of the floor
was raised to enable US to ascertain the re-
suit of our experiment, and IN immense
number Of rats were observed. which, al
though they had been killed in different
parts of the building, had been dragged
together, forming Il complete heap. The
ermine is then of immense benefit to the
farmer. If detected in the poultry. house
here is some excuse for destroying it, as,
like Il dog that has once been caught in
the sheepfold, it may return to commit
further depredations; but when il has
taken up its residence under stone heaps
and fences, in his fields or his barn, the
ftrmer would consult his interest by suf-
fering it to remain"
Quite closely resembling the ermine in
general form and color is the mart, n or
American sable, and this, too, is sometimes
called II weasel. But this animal is very
much larger, and is in other respects very
distinct from the ermine, and very rarely
makes its appearance about buildings rs il
greatly prefers the wild forests for its
dwelling and hunting grounds.
University of Vermont. March %, 1879.