416 POLECAT. 



to its retreat; and sometimes it carries off the 

 heads alone. During the summer, however, it 

 principally frequents rabbet-warrens, or the hollow 

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

 of young birds, rats, field-mice, &c. According 

 to the Count de Buffon, a single family of Pole- 

 cats is sufficient to destroy a whole warren of rab- 

 bets ; and he observes, that this would be a simple 

 method of diminishing the number of rabbets 

 where they are too abundant. In Spain the Fer- 

 ret is said to have been formerly introduced for a 

 similar purpose. The Polecat also preys occa- 

 sionally on fish : of which a curious instance is re- 

 corded in Mr. Bewick's History of Quadrupeds. 

 During a severe storm, one of these animals was 

 tracked in the snow from the side of a rivulet to 

 its hole, at some distance from it : as it was ob- 

 served to have made frequent trips, and as other 

 marks were seen in the snow, which could not 

 easily be accounted for, it was thought a matter 

 worthy of more diligent enquiry; its hole was ac- 

 cordingly examined; the animal taken; and 

 eleven fine eels were discovered to be the fruits of 

 its nocturnal excursions ; the unusual marks in the 

 snow having been made by the motion of the eels 

 while dragged along in the animal's mouth. That 

 the Polecat, however, sometimes feeds in this 

 manner, is, in reality, no new observation; since 

 Aldrovandus assures us that it will occasionally 

 take up its residence in the hollow banks of rivu- 

 lets, in order to lie in wait for, and prey upon, 

 fish. The Polecat is also delighted with milk, 



