400 A COENISH FAUNA. 



ftir was in higli esteem) may Ibe ascribed to the change of habits 

 in society, by which the common use of mineral coal was intro- 

 duced among farmers. Before that time a large number of 

 pollard trees were permitted to grow in the neighbourhood 

 of toivn-flaces or farm yards, for the purpose of supplying the 

 house with fuel, and the cavities which most of them contained 

 afforded a safe shelter to these, and the others of the weasel 

 tribe. When such fuel became of less importance these hollow 

 trees were gradually cut down, or suffered to fall, to the great 

 dimunition of the numbers of the weasel tribe." Eeport Royal 

 Cornwall Polytechnic Society, 1854, pp 25, 26. 



Fox. — Vulfes vulgaris. 

 Jenyns, p 14 ; Bell, p 252, 2nd ed., p 225 ; Blasius, p 191 ; Clermont, p 62. 

 *' Common, especially in cliffs near the sea." 



CARNIVORA PINNIPEBIA. (Seals.) 



Common Seal. — Phoca vituUna. 

 Jenyns, p 15 ; Bell, p 263, 2nd ed., p 240 ; Blasius, p 248 ; Clermont, p 73. 

 Not frequently found. Otters are often mistaken for these 

 animals. One Whitsand Bay, 1861. 



GrEEY Seal. — HalichcBrus gryphus. 



Bell, p 278, 2nd ed., p 262 ; Blasius, p 256 ; Clermont, p 80. 

 ''Mr. Bell's figure and description go far in deciding this to 

 be the species taken in a net near Padstow, in 1832, and of 

 which some account is given in London's Mag. Nat. Hist., Vol. 

 7, p 208." 



ROBJENTIA. (EoDENTs.) 

 SaxiTiEREL. — Scmrtis vulgaris. 



Jenyns, p 29 ; Bell, p 291, 2nd ed., p 276 ; Blasius, p 272 ; Clermont, p 116. 

 Common in some parts of the county, rare or unknown in 

 others. 



Dormouse. — Myoxus avellanarius. 



Jenyns, p 30 ; Bell, p 295, 2nd ed., p 281 ; Blasius, p297 ; Clermont, p 122. 

 Frequently called " Dorymouse." Common. 



