THE WEASEL FAMILY 155 



however, is largely concealed by the long upper hairs, which are 

 glossy black, so that the general aspect of the polecat from the 

 forehead to the tip of the tail is blackish-brown, but this general 

 tone is broken when any raising of the outer hairs reveals the pale 

 yellow of the under-wool. Like the marten and the other 

 weasels, the polecat is a silent animal ; but it can growl fiercely, 

 and when alarmed or in pain it makes a squeaking noise, and will 

 give a low mewing cry to its mate or its offspring. 



The female polecat apparently only breeds once a year, in 

 May or the beginning of June, making her nest in a rabbit 

 burrow or in the crevices of rocks, or any other hole or corner 

 more or less concealed by stones or brushwood. The number of 

 young ranges from four to six. They are born blind. There 

 are three pairs of ventral mamms in the female.^ The period of 

 gestation is about seven weeks. 



The polecat is extremely bloodthirsty, killing much more than 

 it can devour, apparently for the pleasure of killing, or the 

 delight of sucking the hot blood of its victim. It is entirely 

 carnivorous in a wild state, though in captivity it will eat bread 

 and milk. It devours all small mammals, birds, and snakes, 

 lizards, frogs, fish, and eggs. Generally when on the forage it 

 destroys everything within reach, and will then carry away one of 

 its victims to be devoured at leisure. It is more nocturnal in its 

 habits than the marten, but that is rather due to an avoidance of 

 man than to dislike of daylight. It cares little for climbing trees, 

 but will readily take to the water and swim. It does not burrow 

 for itself, but will often take possession of the holes dug by foxes 

 or rabbits. It will often hide in the crevices of rocks and in 

 discarded buildings. 



Earlier writers state that the polecat will catch frogs and toads 

 and bite them through the brain in a manner sufficient to paralyse 

 but not to kill them, and that these half-living amphibians are 

 then transferred to its nest, to serve as provender for the young. 

 In one polecat's nest forty frogs and two toads thus dealt with 



^ Sometimes four pairs. In ferrets there are usually four pairs, with 

 occasionally an odd one, making nine in all. 



