236 



WILD LIFE OF SCOTLAND 



nowhere so numerous as the lesser crows, or so 

 great a pest as these just mentioned. 



The vermin among mammals are the wild cat, 

 the pole-cat, the marten, and the badger. And 

 very rank vermin they are 

 esteemed to be; for whom, it 

 seems, 

 no plea 

 can be 

 urged, ex- 

 cept, per- 



haps, the 

 foolish one 

 that they add 



picturesqueness and variety to our living forms ; and 

 the presumption that, unless they served some good 

 purpose, they would not be there. Besides destroy- 

 ing a few useful creatures, they probably kill and 



