t may be, into small morsels, and then raises these
to its mouth by impaling them on its claws as on a fork!

It is not a solitary animal, but prefers the society of its companions,
and usually goes about in troops or gangs. Its lair, like the racoon,
is the hollow of a tree.

The _Panda_ of the East Indies is an animal of very similar habits. It
is found chiefly along the banks of streams that descend from the
mountains; and subsists upon small quadrupeds and birds--which it is
able to follow to the tops of the tallest trees. Its name of Qua, or
Oua, or Wha, is derived from the cry which it utters, and repeats very
often; and which is well represented by any of the syllables above
written.

CHAPTER FIVE.

WEASELS, OTTERS AND CIVETS.

Fortunate it is that the quadrupeds composing this group are all animals
of small dimensions. Were they equal in size to lions and tigers, the
human race would be in danger of total extirpation: for it is well-known
that weasels are the most ferocious and bloodthirsty creatures upon the
earth. None of them, however, much exceed the size of the ordinary cat:
unless we include the gluttons and wolverenes among the weasels, as
naturalists sometimes do, notwithstanding that these animals differ
altogether from them.

The _civets_, it is true, are not usually classed with the weasels, but
form a group of themselves; however, they are much more nearly related
to weasels than the gluttons; and where, as in the present case, it is
desirable to divide the mammalia into large groups, they will stand very
well together. In truth, the civets are much nearer in resemblance to
weasels than the otters are; and these two last are generally classed
together--the otters being neither more nor less than water weasels.

We shall first consider the true _Weasels_: that is, the Weasels,
Stoats, Ferrets, Polecats, and Martens.

The habits of most of the species are well-known; and all resemble each
other in the exceeding ferocity of their disposition. It will only be
necessary to say a word about their geographical distribution, and to
speak of a few of the more noted kinds.

In Great Britain, five species are natives: the Pine and Beech Martens,
the Stoat, the Common Weasel (which is the type of the family), and the
Polecat. The Ferret is not indigenous to the country, but has been
introduced from Africa, and is trained, as is well-known, for the
pursuit of the rabbit--which it can follow