SPORT OF BUTE. 101 



weasel, although some naturalists are inclined to 

 accord them the third class of our native weasels. 

 My tiny specimen is of course preserved as proof 

 that there are at least canes in Bute ! Never 

 during the term of years I spent in Mull could I 

 detect a single instance of the common weasel ; 

 and from inquiries I made in Skye, I am of 

 opinion that they are extinct there also. 



The larger footed vermin, such as foxes, wild- 

 cats, martins, and (I think) foumarts, have most 

 likely never been introduced into this island, or, 

 if any of them were formerly indigenous, they 

 have been extirpated. Hedgehogs, however, are 

 far from rare, and my watcher trapped a brace of 

 them last spring at the same egg set for hoody- 

 crows. The first escaped, minus a foot, which 

 the man assured me had been the property of a 

 rat of such gigantic dimensions, that no cat in 

 Bute would be foolhardy enough to face him in 

 single combat. As if to solve the mystery, and 

 put a damper on his wonder and curiosity, next 

 night the other hedgehog was taken. These 

 prickly swine do great damage to all ground 

 nests of eggs within their sluggish beat. 



