162 THE ZOOLOGIST. 
of Polecats as the deer-forests do in replenishing and saving from 
extinction the Wild Cat and the Marten. Some years ago one 
might have said, “You will find the Polecat most plentiful 
amongst the ‘links,’ or sandy downs, where they go to live on 
the rabbits.” Of late years one would say, ‘“‘ Polecats have become 
very scarce, especially amongst the sandy downs.” * 
No returns from any of the following counties having reached 
me, I should be obliged to anyone who will assist me to fill up 
these blanks:—Selkirk, Peebles, Lanark, Rosshire, Cromarty, 
and Caithness. I should be grateful also for any further statistics 
not contained in the following notes, as well as for any correction 
of errors. 
Berwickshire.—In this county, as indeed generally throughout 
the south of Scotland, the Polecat was very abundant. They 
frequented the Peasedean Woods in considerable numbers, but 
Mr. Hardy informs me that he has not seen one “nailed up” for 
a long time. When I was at Grants-House, in July, 1880, the 
driver who took me over to Abbey St. Bathans, where I was going 
to fish the Whitadder, told me that he remembered one being 
killed there several years ago, but could not recollect the exact 
date. Mr. J. Hardy has kindly sent me the following data from 
Berwickshire :—‘‘ One killed near West Morriston forty-five years 
ago (say 1835). Another killed at Mellerstein House twenty-three 
years ago (say 1857), now stuffed in the House. One killed near 
Marchmont long ago(?). One seen at Threeburn Ford, parish of 
Chamelkirk, four or five years ago (say 1877 or 1876). A “‘ Fou- 
mart” seen on Edington Braes, on the Whitadder, some thirty 
years ago (say 1850). Forty years ago (say 1840) there were 
numbers at Thirlstane Castle. One was seen in the summer of 
1880, when my informant was fishing near Linhope on the 
Breamish (southern base of the Cheviots, Northumberland). One 
caught by the gamekeeper at Langton, near Dunse, fourteen years 
ago (say 1866). Not known now in the Gordon district. The last 
Polecat caught near Chirnside, near Blaneme, parish of Buncle, 
about forty years ago (say 1840). Once plentiful in Dowlaw Deane, 
near Fastcastle, and believed to be not yet extirpated. No Polecat 
* It is curious, however, that in East Cumberland, where the Marten 
appears not uncommon, the Polecat seems to be almost exterminated, none 
having been seen for a number of years, as I am informed by Mr. Parkin. 
