120 Proceedings of the Royal Physical Society. 
1880 one was often seen in the grounds at Falkland, and 
when chased it took refuge in the thick ivy of the palace 
walls; the keeper tried to trap it, but without success 
(Zoologist, 1881, p. 166). Mr Gilmour of Montrave writes 
me that he has not heard of a Polecat in Fife since he went 
to reside there in 1873. 
Within Dr Hardy’s recollection they were plentiful in the 
east of Berwickshire, in such localities as Dowlaw dean and 
the Pease dean woods, but he has not seen one “ nailed up ”, 
for a long time, though he believed it had not been extirpated 
in the former of these localities so recently as 1880 (Harvie- 
Brown in Zoologist, 1881, p. 162). From Mr R. Inglis, 
keeper, Tyninghame, I learn that a brother of his killed a 
number at Dunglass about fifty years ago. Mr Thomas 
Hope, taxidermist, Edinburgh, tells me he has seen a good 
many killed in the neighbourhood of Jedburgh—the last about 
thirty years back; and in the Berwickshire Naturalists’ Club 
Proceedings for 1883 (vol. x., p. 269), it is stated that the last in 
“Black Andros” wood in Yarrow was killed “ some years ago.” 
MUSTELA VULGARIS Lal. W EASEL. 
This, the smallest of our Carnivora, is also the commonest, 
being still fairly numerous and generally distributed. About 
the farms and plantations of the Lothians it is a familiar 
object, preying for the most part on mice and small voles, 
which I have frequently watched it capturing. The actions 
of the Weasel when driven from its prey are most interest- 
ing, but require to be seen to be properly appreciated. On 
9th January 1886, I observed one crossing the path in 
Dalmeny Park with something dangling from its mouth. 
On my throwing a stone at it, it dropped the object—a pretty 
little Bank Vole—and darted out of sight among the rough 
herbage. Taking my stand within two yards of the dead 
vole, I had not many seconds to wait till the Weasel 
reappeared, now sitting bolt upright (its heart throbbing with 
excitement), now plunging out of sight again, or bounding 
along the bank and across the road to see if the lost dainty 
could not be more easily recovered from the opposite bank, 
