A STOAT AND WEASEL FIGHT
- [To the Editor of the SPECTATOR.]
Six,—I send you the following account of a fight I recently witnessed, between a stoat and a weasel, which I think may interest your readers.
A few days ago, while walking over a partly cultivated field, ..1 heard a 'squeaking, hissing noise, coming from behind a 'large clod a few yards away. Making in the direction of, the sounds, I almost trod upon a large stoat and a weasel, their bodies intertwined as they rolled to and fro, biting and hissing with rage. They did not appear to notice me at first, and for a full minute I stood and watched them while they fought on the ground between my feet. Then the stoat suddenly made off as he noticed me, but after running a short distance, he stopped and turned round, as though ihe were afraid the weasel might escape him. Turning again to see what-had become of the weasel, I was surprised to find him still close to my feet, spitting and snarling, and in another /moment he proceeded to attack me, instead of running away, ns I had •expected. Time after time he flung his small, wiry body, into the air, jumping almost as high as my knee in his efforts to drive. me off. When he grew tired he would fall .back, but only In make darts at my. legs again if I advanced. 'a step towards, him. Looking round to see if the stoat had gone, I suddenly noticed- him creeping up, evidently deter- mined to finish the fight, and apparently not afraid of me in his desire to get at the weasel. In another moment the stoat sprang, landing on the back of his enemy, and again a watched as they bit and clawed at each other. The weasel was obviously getting the worst of it, so'. :,ended the scrap by ridding him , of the stoat, and left him, curled up under a sod, hut quite ready to spring out at me if I came near.—I Ains;Sir,
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