230 PROCEEDINGS OP THE 



wholesale destruction for some years back of Hawks, Owls, Pole- 

 cats, "Weasels, etc., is enabling all kinds of field mice to increase. 



7. Lesser Shrew. Sorex minutus, Lin. — Mr. Edward says that 

 he once met with a small Shrew, which, at the time, he thought 

 belonged to this species, but that he never was able to satisfy 

 himself as to the fact. He found it in the Den of Auchmedden. 

 Mr. John Macgillivray first identified it as a Scottish species, and 

 considered it to be as abundant as the Common Shrew near Aber- 

 deen.* Rev. G. Gordon records its occurrence in Morayshire, f 



8. Water Shrew. Crossopus fodiens (Pallas). — Mr. Duncan 

 tells me that he has often seen this species on the hills about 

 Aberdour, and that he once saw one attack a frog. Mr. Edward 

 at one time thought that he had discovered two species of Water 

 Shrew at the burn of Melrose, Gamrie, and that of King Edward 

 at Castleton, as well as at other places. The one was jet black all 

 over, while the other had a white breast and belly. He is led now 

 to think, however, that they are one and the same species. 



Order III. — Carnivora. 



Family: Canidae. 



9. Fox. Canis vulpes, Lin. — The Fox was very common about 

 sixty years ago, I am informed by Mr. Edward, but now it is so 

 rare that many country people do not know it. The Old and 

 New Statistical Accounts of Scotland include the Fox in the list 

 of animals found in most of the parishes of this district.! As no 

 hounds hunt this part of the country, foxes are generally shot 

 when seen. 



Family : Mustelidat. 



10. Common Weasel. Mustela vulgaris, Erxleben. — By no 

 means rare, but. not nearly so common as it used to be. In Smiles 

 Life of Thomas Edward will be found some interesting anecdotes, 

 showing the fearless and pertinacious disposition of this animal.§ 



1 1 . Stoat or Ermine. Mustela erminea, Lin. — About as numerous 

 as the last-named species. 



12. Polecat. Mustela putorius, Lin. — Formerly very common, 

 and still occasionally killed among the cliffs on this rock-bound 



* Ann. and Mag. Nat. Hist., vol. viii., p. 23. 



t " Mammalia of Scotland," by Mr. E. R. Alston, p. 10. 



J " Old Stat. Acct. Scot.," vol. xvi., and " New Stat. Acct.," vol. xii. 



§ Smiles' " Life of Edward," p. 111. 





