CH. I.] Crossed with the Pole-Cat. ii 



so friendly and affectionate as the others, 

 and therefore apt to stick with just its nose 

 out of a hole so that you can't pick it up, or 

 else it will " lay up " and give a lot of trouble 

 digging it out. 



For rat-catching the female ferret should 

 always be used, as it is not half the size of 

 the male, and can therefore follow a rat 

 faster and better in narrow holes ; in fact, an 

 ordinary female ferret should be able to 

 follow a full-grown rat anywhere. The male 

 ferret should be kept entirely for rabbiting, as 

 he has not to follow down small holes, and 

 being stronger than the female can stand the 

 rough knocking about he often gets from 

 a rabbit better than his wife can. 



In buying a ferret for work, get one from 

 nine to fifteen months old, as young ferrets I 

 find usually have more courage and dash 

 than an old one. They have not been so 

 often punished and therefore do not think 



