These "Harmless Little Animals."

Oamaru Mail, Volume XVI, Issue 5095, 3 October 1891, Page 1

These "Harmless Little Animals."

A correspondent of the Hawko's Bay Herald says : —The weasels are increasing in the direction of North Makaretu, where the other morning a settler found n turkey lying dead with a hole in its throat, through which one of these vermin had sucked its blood. An idea of what wo may expect should the Rabbit Board carry out the wish of some of them may bo gathered from the following cutting from a Home paper:—"Mr T. Sanderson, jun., was going over his farm at Benridge Hug, near Morpeth, the other day, followed by Ills coilie dog at about thirty yards' distance, when he heard the dog give a sharp bark, such as it is accustomed to give when raising a rabbit. Of this ho took 110 notice, till lie heard a succession of three given with more vchomenoo than the first. On looking round ho saw the collie pursued by a swarm of about three dozen weasels, some of which were on her forequarters and soma oil her hind, and the rest following in kecit ( pursuit. He called to tho dog, but it made off at right angles, and did not „ seem to heed his calls. He followed) and was not long in coming up with tho dog. The weasels did not pay much attention to his presence, and ho had difficulty in beating them ofF. It whs not before he had'killed about nino of them that they were dispersed. In all he killed thirteen. He tried to get tho dog to follow and attack the rest, but she would not. Ho pursued them himself for some distance, and when 110 returned to tho place where ho had made the slaughter he found a little 0110 dragging off one of the largest of the dead ones."