Ground Vermin The Polecat. 217 



illustrate the larger and more destructive animal. Its head is, 

 comparatively speaking, broader than the stoat's, the nose 

 pointed, the ears round, slightly haired and rather incon- 

 spicuous ; the neck, in comparison with the stoat's, is short. 

 The tail is more inclined to be bushy than the ermine's or 

 weasel's, and while much of the shape of that of the ferret, 

 has more hair upon it. In colour individually, polecats differ a 

 good deal, for the reason that there are two kinds of fur on 

 this mustela, one being short and woolly, the other long and 

 more hairlike. The former is of a pale yellow colour, and 

 the latter a bright brown, darkening almost to a shining 

 black ; the apparent shade of the animal's fur thus differs 

 according to the respective lengths of the particular hair 

 predominating ; hence probably a good deal of the confusion 

 as to these two members of the weasel tribe. 



The polecat generally constructs its nest in a rabbit 

 burrow, and, moreover, one in a light sandy soil. This nest 

 it makes not unlike the rabbit's, but noticeable for the 

 smoothness and great regularity with which the moss, dry 

 leaves, &c., are built together. Occasionally the vermin will 

 scoop out a burrow, or rather hole, for itself, but it prefers 

 the former and less troublesome way. Sometimes, again, 

 the crevices of rocks of large size form a suitable retreat, and 

 in others a heap of large stones is the chosen place. The 

 young ones number generally four, five, or six, seldom more, 

 and are brought forth during May or June a favourable 

 time of year for their discovery, capture, and subsequent 

 destruction. 



Besides the name of polecat, various others are allotted to 

 this particular animal in different districts, most of them 



