Page:The Zoologist, 3rd series, vol 1 (1877).djvu/99

Rh Although he never succeeded in catching a Weasel asleep, he was once caught asleep by a Weasel! It happened thus:—Exhausted with fatigue he had flung himself down by a dyke-side and fallen asleep, having previously placed in his hat for safety some young birds which he had found during his ramble. He had not slept long when he was suddenly awakened by something cold pressing in between his forehead and his hat. It was a Weasel, who had scented the birds and was trying to get at them. Edward threw him away to some distance amongst the grass, and went to sleep again: but the Weasel found his way back, and again attempted to displace his hat. Three times was the pertinacious little animal repulsed and flung to a distance, and three times did he return to the attack; until the would-be sleeper was at length compelled to strangle him to secure a night's rest. He had a very similar adventure with two Rats, and on another occasion he had a most desperate encounter with a Polecat which he had seized with his bare hands, and after a severe struggle, in which he was terribly bitten and scratched, he succeeded in forcing down its throat some chloroform which he always carried with him for the purpose of killing insects, and eventually despatched it. Fancy administering a dose of chloroform, single-handed and barehanded, to a Polecat! Verily these Scotch naturalists have no lack of courage.

He had an odd adventure one night with an Owl. He had fallen asleep in a fox's "earth," with his head upon the lock of his gun: before entering the burrow he had caught a Field Mouse, which he wished to take home alive, and he thought the best way to do this was to tie a string, about six feet long, round its tail, and attach the other end to his waistcoat; the little fellow had thus full liberty to the end of his tether. While Edward was sleeping soundly, he was awakened by something tugging at his waistcoat, and by hearing some terrific screeches close to his head. Starting to a sense of recollection, he remembered the Mouse, and pulled back the string to which it had been attached. The Mouse was gone: nothing but the skin of his tail remained. He looked up and saw an Owl sitting on a tree a few yards off. The situation was explained.

Being resident, as we have said, at Banff, his rambles extended coastwise along the shore of the Moray Firth for about seven