166 THE ZOOLOGIST. 
he trapped a few Polecats, but they were not very abundant. The 
latest I have record of is one which Mr. James Stirling, of Garden, 
heard of near that place during the winter of 1879-80. 
Kinross.—The earliest record I have for this county refers to 
one seen at ‘T'urfhills by Mr. H. Henderson about thirty-five years 
ago, say 1845. Even the memory of it has aimost died out. 
Mr. Alexander Michie says, “ The last, twenty years ago, on the 
moss on Scotland-well.” 
Fife.-—Falkland Woods, in Fife, seem to retain conditions 
favourable to the residence of the Polecat. No doubt, in rocky, 
rugged, stony ground frequented by rabbits, trappers cannot use 
their steel-traps with such effect, or so numerously, and thus 
doubtless many inlets and outlets are left unguarded, by which 
the Polecat escapes the comparatively few traps which are set, 
whilst at the same time the food-supply remains abundant. About 
thirty-five years ago, when the Falkland Woods were inhabited 
by Polecats, Mr. Gulland remembers seeing one about in the 
Barn-yard Park at I’alkland, which ran the gauntlet amongst a 
number of reapers and escaped. In 1880 one was often seen in 
the grounds. “ When chased it took refuge in the thick ivy of the 
palace walls. The keeper tried to trap it, without success.” None 
have been seen for twenty years (say since 1860) by the keeper at 
Lathirsk. At Lawhill the last Foumart was obtained by the old 
gamekeeper about fourteen years ago (say 1866). Mr. Charles 
Harvie, who is my informant in this case, saw a “ black one in an 
old wood on the east sea-coast cliff twenty-four years ago” (say 
1856). It is probably extinct long ago in East Fife. Locally 
termed “‘ foumaret.” 
Perthshire—Seems to afford refuge to some of our rarer 
animals longer than other counties farther south, or equally so, 
or, it may be, the number of observers is greater, and therefore its 
Natural History is being more fully worked out. In the south of 
the county it is, however, very rare. None have been obtained 
for the past twenty years (say since 1860) in any part of the Allan 
Valley, between Perth and Stirling. But at Leny, near Callander, 
one was trapped in 1858, and one previously in 1855. According 
to Col. Drummond Hay, our best authority for that district, they 
were common in the Carse of Gowrie about 1820 to 1824, but are 
now extinct and have been so for many years. At Duplin they 
have been extinct for at least twenty-five years, say since 1855. 
