

Ground Vermin The Polecat. 223 



typical notice of a " savage attack by a polecat," from which 

 it appears that a gentleman, while fishing a small stream 

 called the Beltie, in Aberdeenshire, startled a large fitch, 

 which scuttled into a sand dyke that runs along the burnside 

 with a peculiar screeching bark. On following it up he 

 was surprised to find the plucky little animal standing guard 

 at its hole. On further approaching it instantly flew at his 

 legs, but luckily he hit it with the butt end of his rod, or else 

 they would have probably suffered. Beaten off, it retreated to 

 its hole, and stood at bay, screeching angrily. After changing 

 his position several times, and trying to get at the animal, 

 when it had made several brushes at him, the narrator of the 

 incident had to give up the encounter, for owing to the fitch's 

 tactics he was never able to kill it, remaining, as it did, 

 mostly on the defensive, just within its hole, the blow given 

 evidently rather discouraging the fierce little creature. Near 

 one entrance to the hole were the well-gnawed remnants of 

 two full-grown rabbits, one chicken, and the suspicion of a 

 partridge. This is a striking instance of the boldness of the 

 polecat, and we can only remark that similar experiences of 

 this quality are not of rare occurrence. 



We can say no more concerning the polecat without going 

 into technicalities of little worth to the game preserver. 

 Now that they are becoming less frequent every year so 

 do they become more wary and difficult to observe. Close 

 notice and constant observation are absolutely necessary to 

 discover indications of the whereabouts of a polecat; and 

 referring to what we mentioned concerning their presence, 

 we cannot but impress upon our readers the necessity, when 

 they fancy they have discovered evidence of a polecat's 



