The Florida agriculturist. [volume] (DeLand, Fla.) 1878-1911, 1882-02-22

rarely eats, but drinks the lit e>
! blood of his victims, and moves on
to fresh encounter, his appetite seem
ing to increase by what it leeds on.
1 once followed the track of one IN
a light snow and picked up six dead
rabbits, from all ot which he had
sucked the blood, in one night, one
of them he had chased out of the
woods into the open pasture, runs
ming tie and tie las shown by the
tracks, before he caught him. He
afterward took up his abode in an
unused summer kitchen, and afforded
me an opportunity to say that if one
can't catch weasel asleep, it may
be done when he is awake; but he
was true to the ditty, "Pop goes
the weasel" / had baited a double
end wire rat trap with various kinds
of fresh meat, but he could not be
enticed into 1t. One day when in
the kitchen, my bold weasel came
out of hole; l gave chase, and in
running through the trap, he brushed
against the bait and was caught at
last. 1 called my wife to stand
guard while | got bucket OF water
TO drown bin, when he easily slipped
through the wires, which were
about halt an inch apart, and scud
to his hole; no blame attached to
guard, but / did wish she had steel
fingers to choke his internal throat.
Woe to the chicken or paltridge
roost or crouched bevy of quail on
summer or winters night, when he
meets them on his grand round.
don't know how to destroy him,
except with gun or a very quick
dog of good grit.
The coon, 'possum, pole cat and
are we'll known as nest rob-
bers; the latter has some traits that
make him valuable to farmers, and
his life may, perhaps, better be
spared. The mink is chiefly de-
structive to game, when the extreme
cold freezes the water so that be can
not fish, but as depleter Of trout
streams, few fishermen are his equal.
And as the wild and tame cat hunt
by sight alone their ability to kill
is unequal TO the fox, whose enormi~
ties merit a separate mention. All
portsmen and farmers should kills
lwhen possible). That pestiferous
gormand and nuisance, the 'possum,
they are of no earthly use, and we
know that they will kill young birds
and animals until they are exhausted;
if they only restricted themselves to
what they required to eat, they
would not be SO utterly despicable.
They are certainly scourge to hens
and chickens, and the importance of
every household having a good pos
sum dog, should be seen by every>
one, as good one liz also good for
vermin generally. A dog that per>
sists in biting 'possum till he is
thoroughly dead, is persistent
enoughtor anything else suitable to
his size. There seems to be some-
thing in the hair that sets the teeth
on edge, like the hair Of the badger.
To all those who wish good yer.
min dog, will suggest few points
on the breeding and treatment that
1--we occurred to mein a long ex.
perience. In the first place, it is de-
slrable to have courage, strength,
speed and scent, and withal a silent
hunter, that he may catch and xii.
and also when ne tails to catch, that
the animal will tree directly, from
being sharply pushed. He should
be encouraged and taught to bark at
the tree, and on all occasions, night
and day, should be helped with the
gun or axe, so that he can get taste
of his object. There is no particular
breed that answers to these require
ments, there is fair chance of breed.
ing them, If one will follow these
rules: First, Most domestic ami
mails, dogs especially, take the outs
ward characteristics mainly from the
male. The disposition, instincts and
will of the female, subject to the
rule of contra in color and voice or
the disposition to use it. The fe-
male should be a severe nointer or