534 



Croigurg of Natural gi 



until the sportsman comes near enough, and 

 is prepared to take his shot ; he then gives 

 the word, and the Dog immediately springs 

 the game. So admirably have these Dogs been 

 trained, that their acquired propensities seem 

 almost as inherent as a natural instinct, and 

 appear to be transmitted from parent to pro- 

 geny: at least, they now require but very little 

 breaking to stand at any kind of game. Their 

 scent and sight are equally acute. In all pro- 

 babilitv Spain is the native country of this 

 valuable Dog, which is found there and also 

 in France with very slight difference of 

 form ; but the English breed is much to 

 be preferred, for good temper, beauty of ap- 

 pearance, docility, patience, and activity. 

 " Those Pointers," says Johnson, in his 

 Shooter's Companion, "which I have seen 

 direct from Spain, are heavy and clumsily 

 formed ; those from Portugal are somewhat 

 lighter ; while the French breed is remark- 

 able for a wide furrow which runs between 

 the nostrils, and give to the animal's coun- 

 tenance a very grotesque appearance. They 

 are all thick and heavy, with large chubby 

 heads, long pendent ears, and short smooth 

 hair ; they are often ill-tempered and snap- 

 pish, and, in fact, are good for little in this 

 country till they have been crossed with the 

 more generous blood of these islands. Yet 

 the conjunction of the Setter snd Pointer is 

 by no means advisable. Excellent Pointers 

 have been produced by the Foxhound and 

 the Spaniard. In crossing with the Spanish 

 Pointer, the deep-flewed Hound is to be 

 preferred, and from judicious crossing ex- 

 cellent Pointers are to be met with in most 

 parts of England. They differ from the 

 Setter, as, when they have approached suffi- 

 ciently near the game, they stand erect, 

 whereas the true-bred Setter will either sit 

 upon his haunches, or lie close to the ground, 

 generally the latter. Pointers often suffer 

 much from sore feet. I have generally found I 

 white-footed Dogs much more tender in j 

 this respect than those whose feet are of a j 

 dark colour. Pointers are sometimes used 

 with bells round their necks in cover-shoot- j 

 ing. When the Dog sets, the ringing ceases, ' 

 and the shooter proceeds to the spot. Pointers 

 are very susceptible of education, and not | 

 so apt to forget their lessons as the Setter ; j 

 and their speed, strength, and persevering | 

 spirit, enable them to continue the chase for 

 a length of time almost incredible." " I ! 

 have heard my father, a man of close ob- j 

 serration, and an enthusiastic sportsman," ! 

 observes Mr. Bell, " offer the opinion that I 

 the stand of the Pointer and the crouching 

 of the Setter are but the natural start of! 

 surprise or interest, which all dogs give when ! 

 coming suddenly upoi* the scent or sight of j 

 their natural prey ; modified of course by j 

 cultivation, and by transmission through J 

 many generations, each, by education, im- | 

 proving upon the capabilities of the former." 



POLECAT, FITCHET WEASEL, or 

 FOUMART. (Mustela putwius.) This 

 animal is known by each of the names here 

 given, but most frequently by the first. It j 

 is one of the most remarkable European ; 

 species of the Weasel tribe, and is found in | 



most parts of Europe, as well as in some ol 

 the Asiatic regions. Its colour is a deep 

 blackish-brown, with a tawny cast slightly 

 intermixed : the ears are edged with white, 

 and the space round the muzzle is also 

 whitish. It is about seventeen inches in 

 length, exclusive of the tail, which is about 

 six inches. In its habits it greatly resembles 

 the other Weasels ; it preys indiscrimately 

 on the smaller animals, is very destructive to 

 poultry, and most inimical to rabbits, which 

 it destroys like the ferret, by sucking their 

 blood, instead of immediately tearing them 

 to pieces, so that, it is said, a single Polecat 

 is often sufficient to clear a whole warren ; 

 and twenty rabbits have been found dead, 

 which one Polecat had destroyed, and that 

 by a wound which was hardly perceptible. 

 It steals into barns, pigeon-houses, &c., where 

 it occasionally makes great havoc, biting 

 off the heads of fowls and pigeons, and then 



carrying them away to its retreat. It is also 

 a great lover of milk, and often robs the dairy. 

 During the summer, however, it principally 

 frequents rabbit-warrens, or the hollow 

 trunks of trees, &c., and prowls about in 

 quest of young birds, rats, and field-mice. 

 Sometimes it forsakes the field, the wood, 

 and poultry-yard, to roam by the rivulet's 

 side, and indulge in its propensity for fish. 

 The Polecat is a strong and active creature, 

 and will spring with great vigour and celerity 

 when preparing to attack its prey, or to 

 escape from pursuit ; at which time it arches 

 its back considerably to assist it? effort. It 

 is of a smell proverbially fetid, being fur- 

 nished, like several others of the Weasel 

 tribe, with a pouch or follicle beneath the 

 tail, which secretes a thickish fluid of a pe- 

 culiarly strong and offensive odour. The 

 fur of the body is of two sorts ; the shorter 

 being woolly, of a pale yellowish or fulvous 

 colour j the longer, shining, and of a rich 

 black or brownish black ; which, though far 

 less valuable than either that of the Sable or 

 the Marten, is still much esteemed ; and 

 numbers of the skins are annually imported 

 here from the north of Europe, under the 

 name of Fitch. The spring is the season in 

 which the Polecat breeds, generally produc- 

 ing three or four at a birth, which the parent 

 is said to suckle but a short time, accustoming 

 them early to suck the blood of the animals 

 which she brings to them, as well as eggs, 

 &c. The Polecat has been known to breed 

 with the Ferret ; nay, it is asserted to be a 

 practice with warreners, in order to improve 

 the breed of the latter, to procure a mixed 

 breed from time to time, which are of a co- 



