THE POLECAT. 191 



for the sake of hearing its own voice, but will, if 

 possible, make clean away from the danger-zone. 



The polecat is a good swimmer, and will take 

 to water readily in pursuit of its quarry. It is less 

 arboreal than the stoat, though it can climb moder- 

 ately well. One was shot in the act of climbing a 

 wire-netting screen some ten feet in height. It 

 was near the top and making good progress, and 

 on the other side of the screen were about two 

 hundred quarter -fledged pheasant -chicks ! This 

 was near Brancaster, in Norfolk. 



