EPISODES 465 



spoke of it as a happy circumstance, and requested that I 

 should suffer him to be placed next the logs, thinking, no 

 doubt, that there he should run no risk. 



We started by break of day, taking with us the frozen 

 cloak, and after passing a pleasant night in my own house, 

 we parted. Some years after, I met my Kentucky com- 

 panion in a far distant land, when he assured me that 

 whenever the sun shone on his cloak or it was brought 

 near a fire, the scent of the Pole-cat became so perceptible 

 that he at last gave it to a poor monk in Italy. 



The animal commonly known in America by the name 

 of the Pole-cat is about a foot and a half in length, with a 

 large bushy tail, nearly as long as the body. The color is 

 generally brownish-black, with a large white patch on the 

 back of the head ; but there are many varieties of coloring, 

 in some of which the broad white bands of the back are 

 very conspicuous. The Pole-cat burrows, or forms a sub- 

 terranean habitation among the roots of trees, or in rocky 

 places. It feeds on birds, young Hares, Rats, Mice, and 

 other animals, and commits great depredations on poultry. 

 The most remarkable peculiarity of this animal is the power, 

 alluded to above, of squirting for its defence a most nau- 

 seously scented fluid contained in a receptacle situated 

 under the tail, which it can do to a distance of several yards. 

 It does not, however, for this purpose sprinkle its tail with 

 the fluid, as some allege, unless when extremely harassed 

 by its enemies. The Pole-cat is frequently domesticated. 

 The removal of the glands prevents the secretion of the 

 nauseous fluid, and when thus improved, the animal be- 

 comes a great favorite, and performs the offices of the 

 common cat with great dexterity. 



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