90 



F I T C H E T. Class I. 



The ears are fliort, rounded and tipt with white : 

 the circumference of tlie mouth, that is to fay, the 

 ends of the lower and upper mandibles are white : 

 the head, throat, bread, legs and thighs, are whol- 

 ly of a deep chocolate color, almoft black. The 

 fides are covered with hairs of two colors -, the ends 

 of which are of a blackifh hue, like the other parts •, 

 the middle of a full tawny color: in others ci- 

 nereous. 



The toes are long, and feparated to the very 

 origin : the tail is covered with pretty long hair. 

 Manners. The fitchet is very deftrudtive to young game 

 of all kinds, and to poultry : they generally refide 

 in woods, or thick brakes j burrowing under 

 ground, forming a fhallow retreat, about two 

 yards in length ; which commonly ends, for its fe- 

 curity, among the roots of fome large trees. It will 

 fometimes lodge under hay-ricks, and in barns : 

 in the winter it frequents houfes, and makes a 

 common practice of robbing the dairy of the milk : 

 it alfo makes great havoke in warrens. 



It will brino; five or fix vouns; at a time. War- 

 reners aflert, thattheficchet will mix with the ferret; 

 and they are fometimes obliged to procure an inter- 

 courfe between thefe animals, to improve the breed 

 of the latter, which by long confinement will abate 

 its favage nature, and become lefs eager after rab- 

 bets, and confequently lefs uleful. M. de Buffon 

 denies that ic will admit the fitchet; yet gives 

 the figure of a variety under the name of the Ferret 



Polecats 



