inhabiting the County of Sutherland. 291 



MAMMALIA. 



1. Sorex araneus, Common Shrew. 

 Common. 



2. S.fodiens, Water Shrew. 



Common upon the margins of the lakes and rivers ; all the specimens obtained were of 

 this species. 



3. Talpa Europcea, Common Mole. 

 Plentiful. 



4. Meles Taxus, Common Badger. 



Pretty generally dispersed throughout the midland mountainous part of the county. 



5. Vulpes vulgaris, Common Fox ; large variety, with a black tip to the tail. 



Foxes in Sutherland are very numerous, and of a large size, similar in form to the va- 

 riety we call the greyhound fox ; but they differ from it in having the tail tipped with 

 black instead of white. They are very destructive to the new-dropped lambs, and, when 

 pinched for food, will even attack and kill the full grown sheep. On this account they 

 are proscribed by the sheep farmers, and destroyed by every device by the regular ap- 

 pointed fox-hunters, who obtain the following premiums for every head they produce, viz. 

 for a full-grown dog-fox, 15s. ; for a female, 21. 2s. ; for each young fox or cub, 7s. 6d. 

 During the day they retire to the mountains, where they lie concealed among the frag- 

 ments of broken rocks, or in the holes of the debris, &c. The life of a fox-hunter, for 

 such is the title of the vermin-destroyer, is one of great toil and fatigue, for he is obliged 

 to be out at all seasons, and in all kinds of weather. He generally departs for the moun- 

 tains under night, to be in readiness to interrupt the return of his game from their pre- 

 datory excursions to the lower districts. Upon such occasions he is attended by a pack 

 of dogs, consisting of several terriers of an excellent and hardy breed, an old fox-hound 

 or two, and a half-bred greyhound or lurcher. He is also provided with a gun, and gene- 

 rally carries materials to set traps, &c, for such vermin as betake themselves to holes and 

 fissures of the rocks where they cannot be got at by his dogs. Besides the fox, he is 

 assiduous in his pursuit of the wild cat and marten, both of which animals abound in the 

 county, and are, like the fox, the frequent destroyers of lambs, poultry, &c. Till within 

 the last year, the fox-hunters, or vermin-destroyers, were appointed and supported, and 

 the premiums for the destruction of the various animals paid, by the Duchess-Countess 

 of Sutherland. To each parish a distinct one was regularly appointed, and, in addition to 

 a salary of 201. per annum, he was provided with a house and potato garth, and sufficient 

 oat-meal for himself and ten dogs. This was exclusive of the premiums paid for the vari- 

 ous animals destroyed, which generally amounted to as much as the stipulated money pay- 

 ment, and sometimes to a much larger sum, as we were informed, upon good authority, 

 that the fox-hunter of Ben Hope district had the preceding year drawn as much as 40/'. 

 for the animals and eagles he had destroyed. By a late regulation they are now to be 



