The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1881-07-21
About the Weasel. n


The weasel is one OF the prettiest ANA
most graceful little creatures sths. aas
be imagined. 1t lives in all cool con aa
tries ana makes its home n ball sa,
trees, in stone heaps, or in any conyen.
lent hole where it can find shelter !.
is. no larger than good sized rat I'm,
has longer legs. 1t has a lone. NM
slender body, long neck and dainty
little head, with small round ears ana
bright eyes, TITS covered with sn,i,osh
sleek hair, of apbrown ,eo!or ON H.
back and white below. 1t has ]oDs
whiskers> on its nose, and avery sbor2,
tail. Its weapons are its strong c|avs
and sharp teeth, which it knows how i
use so well that many larger animal,
livelin constant terror OF this Bold ma
wicked little marauder. The, weasel
itself has very few enemies. Even tbs
powerful birds of prev, which I'M eye,
on the alert tor rabbits andsothes small
game. rarely swoop down on thu, wea-
sci, for although they can easily carry
1t away in their strong talons, it often
proves very troublesome booty.
hunter once noticed large hawk HIGH
in the air, which was tapping its. winrs
violently, and apparently ia great
trouble. Suddenly it darted aud fell
to the earth almost at the hunters feet
where it lay gasping and dying, lwhiIe q
tiny weasel sprang from the. heap oi
feathers. and scampered away to hide
Itself in the stone wallnear iby.aa0hsex.
aiming the bird, the hunter, found that
its throat was torn to pieces by the
weasel s sharp teetis The little Great.
ure, although unable to sescape from
the powerful grip of the hawk, had
twisted itself until it could reach its
enemy's throat, when it easily inflicted
"a deadly wound. ~
The defenseless hares and rabbits are
bitterly prosecuted by the weasel, which
springs upon them, and with wonderful
instinct knows exactly where to Hasten
it's sharp teeth. The unfortun ate hare
may scamper away as fastas itscau. but
its enemy clings to its neck, and the
poorilittle animal must soon fall, faint
and dying. from loss of blood. IL
Rats and mice, squirrels, moles, frog
and birds of all kinds are hunted By the
weasel, and it@may-often be seen twist
ing itself in and ont of stone heaps OF
walls in the vicinity of barn-ysrds,
where it watches for chickens, doves
and other domestic fowls. sa
II taken very young. weasels may DO
tanned, and whole army OF cats will
not free ashouse so quickly of rats and
mice as will one little weasel. Pussy
must sit patiently by the rate; hole and
wait until the mischievous beast ven
lures forth; but where a rat can 60 the
weasel can follow. Weasels ana ferfeis
are often kept on board of ships and
are petted by the sailors, for ship
with a weasel as passenger is always
free from rats.
There are many pretty storiestold OF
tame weasels. and of the affection they
manifest toward those who care for
them. A lady who received present
OF very small and very young weasel
fed it with milk, which it drank from
her hand. The little. creature became
so attached to its mistress that when.
ever she called it, it would sinstantly
appear from whatever corner in which
it was curled up, and would climb 81
over her like a squirrel. sit nevsrsbit
her. aud would play with her cat and
dog, often riding round on their backs;
but it neverinjured them.x its curiosity
afforded its mistress much amusement
Hshe opened a box or trunk, Master
Weasel would raise ilimselfo on his hid-
legs and make, every effort to ,peepin-
side. s'ss 5s'i ~ asR's''
This little creature is much hunted
by man. and large numbers iaroscaught
in traps, il being o general impression
that they do more harm than good; but
although a weaselamay now and then
carry off a chicken from the farm yard
it does much good by freeing barns and
corn fields of mice and other smallstie
structiye animals. Harper's Isrg
People. 47AA 's7A5 ssssa e