THE POLECAT 89 



days, but since she did not appear to make any 

 impression on the rats, she was returned to her 

 owner. The Naturalist was considering some 

 measure to rid the premises of rats, when a 

 polecat decided to move from the barn to the 

 woodshed. The change of residence had the 

 desired effect, for the rats moved out without 

 delay and with less ceremony. While mice, 

 apparently, are more attractive to the polecats 

 than rats, the rats seem to have a deadly fear 

 of them, and the presence of a polecat in the 

 building is usually sufficient to clear it quickly 

 of the rodents. The polecats would often 

 enter the open burrows of the pocket gopher 

 also, and although the Naturalist was unable 

 to determine with certainty what took place 

 in the darkness below, the indications were 

 that the visit proved disastrous to the gopher. 

 One day a neighbor's dog, which chanced 

 to be passing, discovered Mrs. Polecat as she 

 was crossing the yard. Rover gave chase, and, 

 just as he opened his mouth to seize his prey, 

 she discharged her artillery full in his face. 

 A very sick dog immediately lost interest in 

 the hunt, and for some days had a wholesome 

 respect for polecats. His eyes burned like fire, 

 and his mouth tasted worse. The intolerable 



