_Mousehunt_ (Vol. viii., p. 516.).--
"A Mousehunt is a little animal of the species of weasel; it has a very
slender body, about the length of a rat, with a long hairy tail, bushy
at the end; the back is of a reddish-brown colour, the hair long and
smooth; the belly is white, as are also its feet; it runs very swiftly,
swaying its body as it moves along from side to side. The head is short
and narrow, with small ears, like those of a rat; the eyes are black,
piercing, and very bright. Their chief food is rats, mice, young
chickens, little birds, and eggs. They frequent mole-hills, and are
often caught in the traps set for the moles; they are destroyed by
ferrets and dogs. These mousehunts live, for the most part, in holes
beneath the roots of trees, or in old buildings."
The above description of the Mousehunt is given in _The History of a
Field-mouse_ by Miss Black. Should it be thought of sufficient authority to
deserve a place in "N. & Q.," the coincidence which led "Little Downy" to
be read to a little girl on the morning of Nov. 26 will amuse.