18 The Vertebrates of Solway. 



that they had to be destroyed, and that ever afterwards Alexander 

 avoided the place when hunting." There is a widespread belief 

 amoug-st British zoologists that there is now no real wild cat left 

 in Great Britain. It has been absorbed by the "predominant 

 partner " the domestic feline. Certainly wild cats with all the 

 typical characters of the species have become of great rarity, even 

 in places such as the deer forests, where these cats are not 

 specially destroyed. 



The Weasel {Mustela vulgaris, Erxl.). 



Has become comparatively scarce nowadays. Formerly found 

 in great plenty everywhere. 



The Ermine {Mustela erminea, L.). 



This .species has become greatly less common within the 

 memory of most persons. During the prevalence of the Vole 

 plague of the years 1888 to 1892, both the Ermine and the Weasel 

 had a considerable amount of tolerance extended to them. The 

 idea was widely expressed by those dependant on pastoral farm- 

 ing that the Vole plague would not have assumed its vast dimen- 

 sions had there been a natural stock of the two animals under 

 notice. Neither of them is the unmitigated vermin they are so 

 often asserted to be. and it is regrettable that they should be 

 destroyed in the undiscriminating way now in fashion. 



The Foumart {Mustela putorius, L.). 



The Foumart was very common during the first half of the 

 century. It then quite abruptly decreased to g-reat scarcity. 

 Although perhaps not quite extinct yet, the odd stragglers that 

 now and again are reported at intervals of several years may be 

 immigrants from outside our area. More probably they are only 

 very dark-coloured Ferrets that have escaped from their owners, 

 llabbit-trapping is accountable for the disappearance of the 

 Foumart. At the old fur markets that used to be held in Dum- 

 fries during" the Candlemas Fair the skins of these animals brought 

 good prices. In 1857 it was as high as 45s per dozen. As many 

 as GOO skins were exposed, as happened at the fair of 1831. 



The Badger {Meles taxus, L.). 

 This is another animal whose status has gone down to the 



