44 OUTDOOR LIFE IN ENGLAND 



seen in the snow which could not easily be 

 accounted for, it was thought a matter worthy of 

 great attention. Its hole was accordingly ex- 

 amined, the foumart (i.e., the polecat) taken, and 

 eleven fine eels were discovered to be the fruits of 

 its nocturnal excursions. The marks in the snow 

 were found to have been made by the motion of 

 the eels in the creature's mouth/ Jardine states 

 that a polecat will not scruple to kill even turkeys 

 and geese. It is doubtless very strong, active, 

 and courageous. They are more common in the 

 wilder districts of Britain, more especially in the 

 Northern counties ; keepers, not unnaturally, grant 

 them but scant mercy, and ere long they will 

 probably become extinct. There is no created 

 thing without its use, though we may at times 

 find it somewhat difficult to realize the fact, there 

 being some forms of animal life which, so far as 

 our limited knowledge extends, appear to be 

 incapable of doing anything but harm. But 

 even the polecat is not without some good 

 qualities, despite its destructive propensities, for 

 it not only destroys a certain amount of other 

 vermin, but enables us to benefit by its very 

 ferocity, inasmuch as our breed of ferrets has 

 been very considerably improved by being crossed 

 with the polecat. Such ferrets are ever the 

 best, though perhaps less tractable than the white 

 variety. It is asserted by naturalists that our 

 ferrets were imported from Spain, to which country 

 they came from Africa. Were it not that the 



