Ground Vermin Wild Cats. 269 



are generally more destructive to game, while the latter 

 are worse enemies to rabbits. 



These feline poachers prefer to remain, first of all, con- 

 cealed in woods, and mostly choose some hole or nook 

 formed by a rabbit burrow, at the root of a tree, or under 

 a stone, in which to remain concealed or to sleep in 

 during fine and warm weather ; but, besides this, they 

 always have some place to retreat to in case of need, 

 and in which they shelter themselves from rain and cold. 

 Uneven rocky land offers great inducements to these arrant 

 vermin, and all such places as the polecat loves to 

 frequent, but on a larger scale. Any plantation of young 

 firs which are growing up thickly together will be equally 

 likely to shelter them ; or sand or gravel pits, should 

 they contain brushwood and very rough copse over uneven 

 ground (there are but few pits not so covered) are 

 exceedingly favourite spots. 



One marked peculiarity about these wild-tame cats is 

 that they generally go very far away from their lair to 

 choose their hunting grounds, and, unlike all other real 

 vermin, are singularly fond of returning to the same 

 field, wood, or wherever they may have been marauding, 

 time after time, thus contributing much to their insecurity, 

 and rendering themselves more liable to be caught. 



They do not discriminate much as to the nature of 

 their food, and everything which the real wild cat may 

 destroy and consume is equally likely to be captured and 

 eaten, or partially eaten and completely mauled, by the 

 animal that might have been the comforter of some aged 

 spinster during her declining years. But most open to 



