STOATS AND WEASELS

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29766, 8 March 1962, Page 21

STOATS AND WEASELS

Scientist Seeks Females Female stoats and weasels •re smarter toon male stoats and weasels, according to Dr I L. Hartman, of the Fats Research Laboratory, Wellington. His appeal for ij ve stoats and weasels as breeding stock has brought bim seven male stoats and four male weasels but not a single l>ve female of either species. I sail hope to get same females, says Dr. Hartman «m a letter to “'Die Press" As an added inducement. I am stepp:ng up the amount lam prepared to pay to £4. inc.ud.in-’ expenses. for each famale weasel and £3. inchiding expenses, for each female stoat. At the same time. I have decided on)v to pay expense* (say £1) for male animals, as I have enough of them just now. ‘ Anyone who can tell the d fference between the sexes should release any male animal he catches, as they are useful in keeping down vermin.” An / adult female stoat eaught in the next few months offered the possibility of a ready-made litter, he added, as although the animals mated during tne summer, pregnancy proper did not begin until the following spring. Dr. Hartman's doctorate, conferred on ham by the University of New Zealand a few days ago. is not for his study of Moats and weasels, but for what he describes as his “more prosaic" work on the utilisation of animal fats.