STRANGE BEDFELLOWS.
[To ms Emma or mm "Sesoveroa."] Sur.,—Yesterday (July 10th) a young friend of mine heard strange squeals arising from en invisible animal on the cliffs at Kingsdown, and soon discovered a young weasel, less than a week old, almost hairless, and with eyes still closed, which must have been dropped by its mother when carrying it, as these little animals are in the habit of doing, from one nest to another. The foundling was fed with milk, which it swallowed greedily, and was then brought to me. I placed it, by way of experiment, among some infant white rats, eight days old, and waited to see the result. The mother rat, on being re- turned to her nest, examined the intruded weasling, washed it carefully, and proceeded to feed it. It then curled itself up comfortably among the young rats, and is now thriving in the care of the rodent of which it is the natural enemy. I have never before met with a case of this kind, though cats have often mothered such unfeline youngsters as ducklings, chickens, leverets, squirrels, rabbits, and puppies. Many species of small insectivorous birds act as foster-parents to the parasitic cuckoo, as we know, but the rat that nourishes a weasel is probably an example of the exercise of the maternal instinct which is unique:--
Oh, rare rare bedfellows, There they all lie in uncomplaining sleep "!
Walmer.
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