j Penfytvania, Philadelphia, 277 



had been ftifled -, and it was fo difagrceable 

 to the cattle that it made them roar very 

 loudly : however, by degrees it vanifhed. 

 Towards the end of the lame year one of 

 thefe animals got into our cellar, but no 

 flench was obferved, for it only vents that 

 when it is purfued. The cook however 

 found for feveral days together that fome 

 of the meat which was kept there was eaten; 

 I and fufpedting that it was done by the cat 

 fhe (hut up all avenues, in order to prevent 

 their getting at it. But the next night be- 

 ing awoke by a noife in the cellar, flie went 

 down, and though it was quite dark, faw an 

 animal with two fhining eyes, which feem- 

 ed to be all on fire -, fhe however refolutely 

 killed it, but not before the polecat had 

 filled the cellar with a moil dreadful flench. 

 The maid was fick of it for feveral days ; and 

 all the bread, flefh, and other provifions kept 

 in the cellar were fo penetrated with it, 

 that we could not make the leafl ufe of 

 them, and were forced to throw them all 

 away. 



From an accident that happened at New 

 York to one of my acquaintances, I conclude 

 that the polecat either is not always very 

 fhy, or that it fleeps very hard at night. 

 This man coming home out of a wood in a 

 fummer evening, thought that he faw a plant 

 S 3 flandin^ 



I 



