A Prolific Polecat. 185 



have been a work of quarrying and cost. So the fate of 

 fox and dog remains undetermined ; though, certainly, 

 it was death to the latter, and likely to both. But here 

 again we have another mystery, difficult of elucidation as 

 that which occurred on Howie Hill ; the same question, 

 under somewhat different conditions : what caused the 

 death of the animals ? Did they kill one another ? Or 

 did they go fighting on so far into the cavity as to be 

 unable to find their way out again ? Or was there a 

 badger also within, that destroyed both as intruders upon 

 its "holt" and home? Its outgoing tracks would not 

 be seen, as it would not likely come forth so long as the 

 snow lasted too cunning for that. 



A PROLIFIC POLECAT. 



As is generally believed, the polecat, or fitchet (Mustela 

 putorius), of which the ferret is erroneously supposed to 

 be but a domesticated variety, is not so prolific as the 

 ferret ; yet there are instances of it also producing more 

 numerously than is stated in zoological works. Mr. Bell, 

 in his " History of British Quadrupeds/' speaking of it, 

 says: "The female polecat brings forth four, five, or six 

 young/' This may be the normal number ; but I have 

 note of a case in which it was exceeded, no less than seven 

 young polecoats having been dug out of a den, near the 

 banks of the river Wye, all evidently of the same "kitten- 

 ing/' This, in a way, tends to show near relationship 

 between the ferret and polecat ; and, beyond doubt, they 

 are closely allied, yet still specifically distinct. As some 

 proof of their being so, I may point to the close resemblance 



