QUADRUPEDS. 135 



This helpless little creature has no means of de- 

 fending itself from its persecutors except by rolling 

 itself in a ball, and thus presenting nothing but 

 spines to their attacks. It runs rapidly, keeping up 

 a peculiar low gurgling sound, but becomes silent at 

 the slightest alarm, and prepares to make a ball of 

 itself should the necessity arise. During the winter 

 it envelops itself in leaves, and lies in a state of 

 torpidity until the spring. In a state of captivity it 

 exhibits some traits of domesticity. Our " Bobby " 

 responds to a call by its peculiar gurgling sound, and 

 makes its appearance at meal -times, especially at 

 supper, in expectation of its customary bread and 

 butter and draught of milk. During the day it sleeps, 

 retiring from the light, and wrapping itself in any 

 cloth or soft cushion under which it can hide, but 

 scratching and remaining very restless unless some 

 covering can be found. 



The Mole is very common in woods ; some natu- 

 ralists believe that they are more common in such 

 places than in open fields ; still we can scarcely re- 

 gard them as woodland animals. 



There are, however, two or three animals of car- 

 nivorous propensities, which, from their savage pre- 

 datory natures, are little better than miniature wolves. 

 The first of these is the Polecat or Fitchet, a common 

 inhabitant of woods and plantations in all parts of 

 the country. It is a sleek dusky-brown animal of 

 the Weasel kind, about eighteen inches in length, 

 exclusive of the tail, and is possessed of an odour so 

 disagreeable as to have passed into a proverb. Its 

 favourite food is rabbits, leverets, poultry, and even 



