368 THE ZOOLOGIST. 



"I have not been able to decide upon this point, namely, 

 whether it constitutes a distinct race from the two preceding; 

 whether it results from a cross ; or whether, in fact, it is not an 

 escaped Ferret. The last-named seems more likely, for the 

 Polecat-ferret is less sensitive to cold than the albino Ferret; 

 and consequently much less liable to die of cold in a state 

 of liberty. In the Natural History Museum at Brussels there is 

 a young black Polecat and a young grey one, labelled * young,' 

 without comment. The difference in colour between these two 

 mounted specimens is striking. The grey Polecat closely 

 resembles the half-bred Ferret. It would seem that this was 

 the result of a cross between a dusky Polecat and an albino. 

 The Polecat a plastron is remarkable for a white or yellow spot 

 on the throat. 



"I have a grey specimen with a white throat, and a black 

 specimen with a throat equally white ; and I have seen black 

 ones which have a yellow throat. The brownish-yellow Polecats 

 are the commonest. The yellow ones and the black ones are 

 somewhat rare. The two last-named are examples of the pure 

 breed. The grey Polecat and those with the light throat are 

 rarely met with. My observations are founded upon two hundred 

 specimens of all shades, of which one hundred and eight were 

 caught by myself, and ninety-two were brought to me by keepers. 



" It was long supposed that the difference in colour between 

 the yellow and the black Polecats was merely the result of local 

 influences — accidental or climatic — or of age or sex. I can 

 testify to the contrary, because I have caught yellow Polecats, 

 male and female, young and old, showing the distinctive charac- 

 teristics of their respective races. At all seasons I have caught 

 black ones, young and old, male and female, from one end of the 

 year to the other. My experience, moreover, confirms these 

 views. In the month of September I secured two young male 

 Polecats, yellow and black. I kept them in separate cages for 

 three years, during which time there was, positively, neither 

 change of colour nor change of shape. The yellow one remained 

 yellow in summer, at the period of moulting, and in winter. The 

 black one always retained the same dark coat. I noticed that the 

 black one was much fiercer and bolder. He was also more 

 active, and generally climbed to the top of his cage when 

 disturbed. The yellow one was timid and less active in his 



