ORDER CARNASSIER. 287 



and when no longer capable of either, will seem to show 

 malevolence, even in death, by emitting its offensive vapour. 



The name by which the Romans designated this animal 

 does not seem to be certainly known. Its modern scientific 

 epithet, Putorius, is very applicable and descriptive, though 

 others of its American congeners seem more eminently en- 

 titled to the distinction. 



It should seem that the Ferret is a southern or mere albi- 

 nose variety of the Polecat, at least if the generative faculty 

 be made a test of variety, for they will produce an offspring 

 partaking of the appearance of both. The Ferret is smaller 

 than the Polecat, and is of a uniform lighter colour. The 

 eyes are red. 



It does not appear to be indigenous either in France or 

 England, but to have been imported from the northern 

 parts of Africa, as reported by Strabo ; for when a Ferret 

 is lost here, as is very common in the chase in summer, it 

 is generally understood that it does not survive the follow- 

 ing winter. As we are enabled to turn its sanguinary in- 

 clinations and predacious habits (which are, perhaps, not 

 much inferior to those of the Polecat) to our advantage, 

 the Ferret is fostered and preserved by art in our climate, 

 which would soon destroy it if left to nature. 



It is bred in this country in casks or boxes, and fed on 

 bread and milk, with flesh occasionally, to encourage its 

 carnivorous appetite. In this state it is trained to enter 

 the burrows of Rabbits and Rats, being previously muzzled, 

 both to prevent its destroying the game, and to anticipate 

 its habit of lying down to sleep in the burrow after being 

 saturated with the blood of its victim, from which even 

 smoke will not always rouse and remove it. Its appear- 

 ance alone is sufficient to drive out the terrified tenants of 

 these retreats, which are caught in purse-nets fixed before 

 their holes ; or if they escape this snare, become exposed 

 to the attack of men and dogs without. 



This animal seems to be the least domesticated of all those 



