The Weasel Family — Polecat Group. 191 



Pitchet, or Fitch Cat, is the name given to the com- 

 mon Polecat of Europe (Mustela-putorius). It has a fur 

 made up of a woolly yellow under-fur showing through 

 long, glossy dark top hairs; in the Russian skins the under 

 fur is almost white. The body of this animal is about seven- 

 teen inches long, exclusive of the tail which measures 

 about six inches. It is a nocturnal animal inhabiting 

 the deserted burrows of other animals in the forest and 

 issuing forth at night for its depredations. "Fitch" was 

 a popular fur with our grandmothers, and at present has 

 come back into favor. The finest darkest skins come from 

 Germany. 



The Perwitsky or Sarmatian Mottled Polecat (Putorius- 

 sarmaticus), is a distinct species, that has its habitat in 

 the wilds of Siberia, Russia and Central Asia — ^principally 

 Afghanistan. This species is not exclusively nocturnal, 

 but it passes the greater part of the day in some deserted 

 rabbit burrow, or in a deep, dark crannie in the rocks or 

 an opening between large stones, issuing forth at night 

 to procure food. It is a fearless, ferocious fighter, and 

 does not hesitate to attack animals many times its size. 

 Where it cannot outspeed its victims it patiently tracks 

 them until it can steal upon them. The Perwitsky is 

 generally caught in traps; sometimes it is smoked out of 

 its burrow into a net spread over the opening; and 

 occasionally it is roped as it escapes to the trees. The 

 fur of this species is of an orange color, with irregular 

 brown spots on the upper part very much like the thighs 

 of the Russian Sable in color and texture, underneath it 

 has glossy black fur. It is a much smaller animal than 

 the common Polecat, measuring from seven to ten inches 

 in length. Like that of the Fitch, the fur of the Per- 

 witsky was very much in vogue fifty years ago, but for a 

 long time was neglected by the furriers ; it is in de- 

 mand again at the present time, being admirably suited 

 to the effects which the designers are producing in this 

 season's garments. 



The Black-footed Polecat of North America (Mephitis- 

 migripis), is found in the Central plateau of the United 

 States as far south as Texas. It is larger than the com- 

 mon species, measuring about nineteen inches exclusive 

 of the tail which is about five and one-half inches long. 



