252 THE ZOOLOGIST. 
In 1297 John Engaine died, seized, inter alia, of certain lands in “ Pytesle,” 
in the county of Northampton, found to be held of the King by the service 
of hunting the wolf, fox, wild cat, badger, wild boar, and hare; and likewise 
the manor of Great Gidding, in the county of Huntingdon, held by the 
service of catching the hare, fox, wild cat, and wolf, within the counties of 
Huntingdon, Northampton, Buckingham and Rutland.* In 1368 Thomas 
Engaine, dying without issue, was found to be seized of fourteen yardlands 
and meadow, and 14s. 4d. rent, in Pightesle, in the county of Northampton, 
held by the service of finding, at his own proper cost, certain dogs for the 
destruction of wolves, foxes, martens, wild cats, and other vermin within 
the counties of Northampton, Rutland, Oxford, Essex and Buckingham. + 
During the reign of Henry IV., Sir Thomas de Aylesbury, knight, and 
Catherine his wife, held of the King, in capite, the manor of Laxton, inter 
alia, with the appurtenances in the county of Northampton, by “grand 
serjeanty,” viz., by the service of taking wolves, foxes, wild cats, and other 
vermin in certain counties named. Robert Lindsay, in his ‘ Chronicles of 
Scotland’ (vol. ii., p. 346), informs us that in 1528 the Earl of Athol 
entertained King James V. with a great hunt which lasted three days. 
“Tt is said, at this tyme, in Atholl and Stratherdaill boundis, thair was 
slaine threttie scoir of hart and hynd, with other small beastis, sich as roe 
and roebuck, woulff, fox and wyld cattis.” A century later, Sir Robert 
Gordon, in his ‘ Genealogical History of the Earldom of Sutherland from 
its origin to the year 1630,’ especially mentioned the wild cat amongst 
the beasts of chase in Scotland at that period. He says the forests and 
“‘schases” in the county of Sutherland were “ verie profitable for feiding of 
bestiall, and delectable for hunting, being full of reid-deer and roes, woulffs, 
foxes, wyld catts, brocks, skuyrells, whittrets, weasels, otters, martrixes, 
hares, and fumarts.” Much more evidence of this kind might, no doubt, be 
adduced, but the above will perhaps suffice to illustrate the point in 
question.—J. E. Harrina. 
WEASEL CARRYING ITs Younc.—I was told by Mr. John Wise, of 
Malton, land surveyor, that as he was surveying at Bainton some years 
ago he saw an old weasel carrying a young one in her mouth. He aimed 
a blow at her with his staff, but missed her, causing her, however, to drop 
the young one and run away a short distance. He picked up the young 
one, and found that it was fast asleep. The old one had now come back, 
and was running about his legs in a very excited way. He woke up the 
young one, when it immediately “ showed fight,” and would have bitten him 
* Dugdale’s ‘ Baronage,’ vol. i., p. 466. See also the ‘Rotuli Hundredorun,’ ii., 
p. €27. 
+ Rot. fin. 42, Edw. IIL, m.13. Dugdale’s ‘ Baronage,’ vol.i., p.467; and Blount 
‘Ancient Tenures,’ p. 231. 
