In its pursuits, it has several points much in its favour: its activity, and the peculiar formation of its claws, enable it to scale walls with so much ease, that no spot is secure from its depredations. By way of compensation to the farmer for its luxurious repasts upon eggs and young poultry, it makes some amends by its inveteracy to rats and mice; having a spice of the ferret in its nature, it is to those an inveterate enemy, and pursues them with a most implacable hatred to certain destruction. It is a more successful invader than any other to these smaller animals, as, from its diminutive circumference, it can follow them into their inmost recesses, and destroy with very little _ineffectual_ opposition. To young pigeons it is likewise a destructive depredator; and when it has young, is more bold and indefatigable in its researches. In the dusk of the evening, and by moonlight, it may frequently be seen stealing from its lurking place, under faggot piles or corn ricks, near the farm-house, taking the barns, stables, pig-sties, and poultry-house, in search of prey; which, when they have killed, if not too large, they carry or drag to the place of their retreat. In the summer season, the weasel will venture a great distance from its usual haunts, and the spot which has afforded it winter protection; it is then very frequently found by the sides of rivulets; and is particularly fond of a situation near a mill, and that is concluded to be from the plenty of rats with which they are invariably surrounded. WEIGHT FOR AGE.—In racing advertisements, propositions of different kinds appear, in respect to the weights which are to be carried by the horses who are a year younger or a year older than each other. Such announcements vary, in some degree, between the weights of one place of sport and another; but as the GOLD CUP weights at OXFORD are considered a fair criterion of equity, they are here introduced in explanation. st. lb. Four year olds carry 7 7 Five year olds 8 7 Six year olds 9 0 And aged 9 4 WEIGHT FOR INCHES.—When a plate is advertised to be run for by horses "to carry weight for inches," it is then called a GIVE and TAKE PLATE, which see.