Jenyns* Natural History. 1853 



pauy with his brother-in-law, Captain Mitford, R.N., by the margin of a rivulet in 

 time of severe frost, and when the ground was covered with snow, their attention was 

 drawn to the trace of an animal, close to the margin of the ice, where an open current 

 still remained unfrozen from the swiftness of the stream. At this spot the footmarks 

 were very numerous, and the animal appeared to have been frequently moving to and 

 fro within a circuit of a few yards. The trace, which was supposed to be that of a 

 stoat, was followed to a burrow about a quarter of a mile lower down the bank of the 

 rivulet, the footsteps being accompanied by further marks upon the snow, which were 

 attributed to the prey it had secured, whatever that might be. The entrance to the 

 burrow was a little larger than that of a mole-hole. Spades were immediately pro- 

 cured, with a view of digging the animal out, if possible, and ascertaining what the 

 prey was by which the above marks were made. In following the hole, care was 

 taken to keep a stick constantly in advance to mark the direction of the burrow, the 

 earth being soft and rather sandy. It was found to penetrate much further and deeper 

 than was expected ; and it was necessary to dig several yards before any approach 

 could be made to the animal's retreat. At length some remains were met with, 

 which appeared to be a mass of fatty decomposing animal matter ; but which, upon 

 closer examination, proved to be the skin of an eel turned inside out. A little further 

 on, more of the same substance was observed, as well as the remains of a water-rat, and 

 the feathers and bones of what seemed to have been a moor-hen.* After a few more 

 spadefulls had been thrown out, they came close upon the animal, which then bolted, 

 but was almost instantly seized and killed by a terrier in attendance. It proved to be 

 a male stoat of the largest size, nearly clothed in its winter or ermine garb ; the cheeks, 

 shoulders, and ridge of the back alone being interspersed with a few reddish brown 

 hairs. At the end of the retreat, where the hole was enlarged, the remains of other 

 eels were found, and among them one quite fresh ; which, judging from the marks 

 observed upon the snow, as above alluded to, was supposed to have been caught the 

 preceding night. This it had begun to devour, commencing with the head, and pro- 

 ceeding to eat downwards, at the same time turning back the skin, probably by the aid 

 of its fore feet ; and this accounts for what had been observed in respect of the other 

 skins, which were all, as already stated, turned inside out. How the stoat succeeds in 

 catching its slippery prey at this inclement season, when the eel, as has been generally 

 supposed, is inactive, or nearly dormant, is a problem which remains to be solved." 

 —p. 64. 



Stoat caught by a Cat. — " In one instance a cat seized a more unusual prey. As 

 we were strolling near the house, we heard the cry of some animal in distress, and, on 

 going to the spot whence it proceeded, observed a cat crouched in the long grass of a 

 meadow with some animal in its claws that was struggling for liberty. As we 

 approached nearer, the cat scampered off, leaving its booty behind, which to our sur- 

 prise turned out to be a large stoat, that likewise took to its legs as soon as it was re- 

 leased, not apparently injured. This was to me quite a new fact, that any cat, at least 

 of the domestic kind, would attack so powerful and fierce an animal as the stoat. 

 Had it been undisturbed, would it have devoured its prey ; or was the latter merely 

 seized from that innate propensity to rapine and violence which characterizes the fe- 

 line race ? That the stoat was conscious of being in stronger hands would appear 



* Gallinula chloropus, Lath. 



2p 



