58 FAUNA OF SHROPSHIRE. 



a wooded hill, though it does not often climb trees. 

 The food of the Polecat includes almost every bird or 

 animal it can master, with, perhaps, a preference for 

 Rabbits. It always kills its prey by a bite on the head 

 or neck, either penetrating the brain or opening the 

 carotid artery, and, after eating the brains and drinking 

 the blood, often leaves the body untouched. It is this 

 habit which makes it so dreaded by farmers and game- 

 preservers, for in this way it destroys far more than it 

 can eat. It has also been known to prey upon fish 

 and frogs, and can swim well. The colour is.dark brown, 

 with narrow whitish bands on the face. In appearance 

 the Fitchet somewhat resembles the Marten, but has 

 stouter limbs, and a shorter bushy tail. Length, 2 feet 

 the female a little smaller. The average number of 

 young is five. The Ferret is merely a domesticated 

 variety of the Polecat, smaller in size and lighter in 

 colour, generally nearly white: the female is called a 



jm. 



STOAT, or (Winter dress) Ermine. This graceful, active, 

 M. erminea. and courageous little animal is plentiful 



in Shropshire, and more numerous than 

 any of its tribe in spite of the numbers shot every year 

 by gamekeepers. In its habits it resembles the Polecat, 

 and it is quite as bloodthirsty, though not quite so 

 wantonly destructive of life. A singular effect of terror 

 is exhibited by Rabbits and Hares when a Stoat is pur- 

 suing : instead of escaping by running as they easily 

 might after going a short distance they stop as if para- 

 lysed, at the same time uttering piercing squeals of 

 distress, and await the coming of the Stoat, who kills 

 them at once by a bite on the head. Stoats, although 



