Wild Ferrets. 187 



found within a few days, or themselves returning to their 

 owner, when his home is near at hand. Instances of the 

 latter I am assured of; and also of a strayed ferret, whose 

 owner had chanced to come across it in the woods, follow- 

 ing him home as would a dog. But I am equally well 

 assured of the other instances above referred to, where 

 lost ferrets had not been found, and were still living 

 months after having made their escape. As it is gen- 

 erally conceded that the tame ferret originally came to us 

 from Africa, or the south of Europe, and is known to be 

 " nesh " in cold weather, the supposition is that if left to 

 itself in our woods and wilds, it would not survive the 

 winter. But two of the cases that have come under my 

 observation contradict this view, entirely refuting it. 

 Some four years ago a man living in the parish of Hope 

 Mansell, Herefordshire, lost a ferret while " rabbiting," 

 and after trying his best to recover the creature, had to 

 give it up. This was in early winter ; and in the month 

 of March following, when strolling through a track of 

 woodland near the place where the ferret had got away 

 from him, he espied an animal which he at first took for 

 a fitchet (polecat) ; but getting nearer, by certain marks 

 known to him, he saw it was his lost rat and rabbit- catcher. 

 There were several other men along with him ; and they 

 immediately gave chase, running it from cover to cover, 

 and hole to hole, routing it from each in succession, but 

 still unable to lay hands on it, for it was as wild as any 

 weasel. Nearly two hours were spent in skirmishing about 

 after it ; when, at length, one of the men, a labourer in 

 my employ, who had stripped off his jacket, succeeded 

 in throwing this over the animal, and so getting grip on 

 it. It gave tongue, however — a harsh chatter — and teeth 

 too, biting him severely. Now, this ferret had been out 



