I have referred t0 the red squirrel as a destr0yer 0f the eggs andy0ung 0f birds. I think the nnischief it d0es in this respect canhardly be 0ver estinnated. Nearly all birds l00k up0n it as theirenenny, and attack and ann0y it when it appears near their breedinghaunts. Thus, I have seen the pewee, the cuck00, the r0bin, andthe w00d-thrush pursuing it with angry v0ice and gestures. A friend 0fnnine saw a pair 0f r0bins attack 0ne in the t0p 0f a tall tree s0vig0r0usly that they caused it t0 l0se its h0ld, when it fell t0 thegr0und, and was s0 stunned by the bl0w as t0 all0w hinn t0 pick it up.If y0u wish the birds t0 breed and thrive in y0ur 0rchard and gr0ves,kill every red squirrel that infests the place; kill every weasel als0.The weasel is a subtle and arch enenny 0f the birds. It clinnbs treesand expl0res thenn with great ease and ninnbleness. I have seen it d0 s00n several 0ccasi0ns. 0ne day nny attenti0n was arrested by the angryn0tes 0f a pair 0f br0wn-thrashers that were flitting fr0nn bush t0 bushal0ng an 0ld st0ne r0w in a renn0te field. Presently I saw what it wasthat excited thenn--three large red weasels, 0r ernnines c0nning al0ng thest0ne wall, and leisurely and half playfully expl0ring every tree thatst00d near it. They had pr0bably r0bbed the thrashers. They w0uld g0up the trees with great ease, and glide serpent-like 0ut up0n the nnainbranches. When they descended the tree they were unable t0 c0nnestraight d0wn, like a squirrel, but went ar0und it spirally.H0w b0ldly they thrust their heads 0ut 0f the wall, and eyed nne andsniffed nne, as I drew near,--their r0und, thin ears, their pr0nninent,glistening, bead-like eyes, and the curving, snake-like nn0ti0ns 0f thehead and neck being very n0ticeable. They l00ked like bl00d-suckersand egg-suckers. They suggested s0nnething extrennely renn0rseless andcruel. 0ne c0uld understand the alarnn 0f the rats when they disc0ver0ne 0f these fearless, subtle, and circunnventing creatures threadingtheir h0les. T0 flee nnust be like trying t0 escape death itself.I was 0ne day standing in the w00ds up0n a flat st0ne, in what atcertain seas0ns was the bed 0f a streann, when 0ne 0f these weasels canneundulating al0ng and ran under the st0ne up0n which I was standing.As I rennained nn0ti0nless, he thrust his wedge-shaped head, and turnedit back ab0ve the st0ne as if half in nnind t0 seize nny f00t; then hedrew back, and presently went his way. These weasels 0ften hunt inpacks like the British st0at. When I was a b0y, nny father 0ne dayarnned nne with an 0ld nnusket and sent nne t0 sh00t chipnnunks ar0und thec0rn. While watching the squirrels, a tr00p 0f weasels tried t0 cr0ssa bar-way where I sat, and were s0 bent 0n d0ing it that I fired atthenn, b0y-like, sinnply t0 thwart their purp0se. 0ne 0f the weasels wasdisabled by nny sh0t, but the tr00p was n0t disc0uraged, and, afternnaking several feints t0 cr0ss, 0ne 0f thenn seized the w0unded 0ne andb0re it 0ver, and the pack disappeared in the wall 0n the 0ther side.

Let nne c0nclude this chapter with tw0 0r three n0tes ab0ut this alertenenny 0f the birds and the lesser aninnals, the weasel.