The Yellowstone journal., 1894-10-16
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ABOUT THE WEASEL.
a Graceful Little Creature, Full Of Shy
ness, Shrewdness and Cruelty.

ness, Shrewdness and Cruelty.
The weasel is one of the prettiest and
most graceful creatures that can he
imagined. 1t lives in all cool countries
and makes its home in hollow trees, in
stone heaps or i'll any convenient hole
where it can find shelter
1t is no larger than good sized rat
but has longer legs. 1t has long, 1.-THE
slender body, long neck and dainty lit.
tie head, with small, smooth. sleek haiI
of brown color ON its back and white
below. 1t has long whiskers ON its nose
and a very short tail Its weapons are
its strong claws and sharp teeth, which
10 knows how to use so well that many
larger animals live in constant terror OF
il The weasel itself has very few enc
mica Even the powerful birds Of prey,
which are ever on the alert for rabbits
and other small game, rarely swoop
down on the weasel, for, although they
can easily carry it away in their strong
talons, it often proves very troublesome
booty. A hunter once noticed a hawk,
high in the air, which was Tapping its
wings violently and apparently in great
the earth almost at the hunters feei,
where it lay gasping and dying, while
. tiny weasel sprang from the heap of
feathers and scampered away to hide it.
oeif in the stone wall near by. On
examining the bird the hunter found
that its throat was torn t. pieces by the
Weasel's sharp teeth. The little crea-
tufe, although unable to escape from the
powerful grip of the he vk, had twisted
itself until il could each the hawks
throat, when it easily inflicted deadly
wound.
The defenseless ha es and rabbits are
batterly prosecuted fv the weasel, which
springs upos them, md with wonderful
instinot knows eXa tly where to fasten
its sharp teeth. The unfortunate hare
may scamper ava; as fast as it can, but
it's enemy clings 20 its neck, and the
poor little animsl must soon fall, faint
and dying, from loss of blood.
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 out of stone heaps or
walls in the vicinity of barnyards, where
itwatches for chickens, doves and other
domestic fowls.
If taken very youn weasels may be
tanned, and a whole rmy Of cats will
not free house so quickly of rats and
mice as will one little weasel. Pussy
must sit patiently by the rats hole and
wait until the mischicv0us beast ven
tures forth, but where a rat can 20 the
weasel can follow. Wcasels and ferrets
are often kept on board of ships and are
pstted by the sailors, for ship with 3
weasel a. passenger Is free from rats.
There are many pretty stories told Of
same weasels and Of the affection they
manifest toward those who care for
them A lady who received a present
of very small and very young weasel
fed it with milk, which it drank from
her hand. The little creature became 50
attached to it's mistress that whenever
she called it it would instantly appear
from whatever corner in which it was
onrled up and would climb all over her
hike squirrel. Ii never bit her aid
would play with her cat and dog, often
riding around on their backs, but it
never injured them. Its curiosity az
ferded its mistress much amusement. IL
she opened a box or trunk, Master
Weasel would raise himself ON his hind
legs and make an effort to peep inside,
This little creature is much hunted
by man. and large numbers are caught
in traps, it being general impression
that they do more harm than good, but
although weasel may now and then
-. i aF 4 =,
does much more good by freeing barns
and cornfields Of mice and other snaD
destructive animals. Troy Press.