se) NOTES ON SOME OF OUR BRITISH MAMMALS. 
heels, this does not appear very evident, but give the fox 
fair play, and it is a very good dog indeed which will beat 
off an old dog fox. In Leicestershire I have known foxes 
come out of the woods and engage the farm dogs in com- 
bat. A young collie belonging to an acquaintance was in 
this way severly mauled by an old dog-fox which periodically 
raided his hen-roost. When the farmer, disturbed by the 
uproar, came to his dog’s assistance, the fox would scarcely 
retreat. Even when met in broad daylight by the farmer, 
who carried a thick stick, this fox turned and snapped 
savagely at him. 
The mountain fox of Scotland, known as the ‘“‘ Greyhound” 
Fox, is a larger and fiercer animal than the native of the 
‘«« Shires,” and accordingly, of late many of this variety have 
been introduced to the Midlands in order to improve the 
local breed. But even the ‘ Greyhound” Fox must give 
place to those of the Continent, which do not confine their 
attention to lambs, but sometimes even attack human beings. 
Coming now to the Mustelidae or Weasel Family, I find 
that we can fairly claim all the British members for our 
local list. The rarest of these, and at the same time the 
most elegant, is the Pine-Marten (Mustela martes)—for the 
Beech-Marten (Mustela foina), long considered a British 
animal, has been conclusively proved to have never occurred 
within our limits. The Dales of Derbyshire were for many 
years a stronghold of this beautiful species, and so late as 
1841 I find it recorded as plentiful “in the fir-woods which 
clothe the sides of some of the hills of Derbyshire, and 
especially near Buxton.” (1)Garner says that in Staffordshire 
it has occurred in woods in Dilhorne, Consall, in Needwood 
Forest, and in the limestone district. The Polecat (Mustsla 
putovius) is now getting uncommon, though at one time 
frequent enough. Writing in 1798, Dickenson mentions as 
an instance of the boldness of this little animal, that he has 
“known a fitchet, when confined and unable to escape, 
attack a large greyhound.’’(2) 
(1) Penny Magazine, Nov. 27, 1841. (2) Shaw's Staffordshire. 
