2440 Quadrupeds. 



Capture of the Yellow-breasted Marten in Glamorganshire — Through the kindness 

 of my friend Mr. Edward Bradley, I have this day received a very handsome male 

 specimen of the yellow-breasted or pine marten (Martes abietum), which was killed in 

 the neighbourhood of Newbridge a couple of days ago. This is the most beautiful, 

 and, in England, the rarest of the two species or varieties of the marten. The yellow 

 colour of the throat in this individual is particularly rich, deepening towards the 

 cheeks. This animal has become so rare in the South of Britain, that it is very sel- 

 dom indeed that an opportunity occurs of seeing it in the flesh. — W. F. W. Bird ; 

 5, King's Road, Bedford Row, April 14, 1849. 



Is the Polecat rare in Suffolk P — Whilst on the subject of the Mustelidae, I cannot 

 avoid offering a few words upon the communication of Mr. Alfred Newton (Zool. 

 2379). That gentleman mentions the capture of the polecat in the following terms : — 

 " A polecat — a veritable one, and not an escaped ferret, was caught in a trap last Oc- 

 tober." This clearly infers that such an event is there of very uncommon occurrence, and 

 as it is evident, from his frequent contributions to your pages, that Mr. Newton is an 

 observant and intelligent naturalist, I cannot suppose he would mention the trapping 

 of a polecat, if he did not think it worth recording. Now, the polecat or fitchet 

 (Mustela putorius) is in nearly every county and district of England, the most common 

 of all our carnivorous Mammalia ; in some parts it is so numerous as to be a perfect 

 nuisance to the farmer and preserver of game. There must, therefore, be some pecu- 

 liarity in the country round Elveden, to make this animal a stranger there ; and 

 I should feel greatly obliged to Mr. Newton for an explanation of this circumstance. 

 — Id. 



Can the Ferret exist in England in a state of Nature P — Auother expression of Mr. 

 Newton's in the same paragraph, has also excited my attention. I allude to the words 

 used above, " not an escaped ferret." Now, I believe I only share the general opinion, 

 in supposing that the ferret {Mustela furo) cannot live in this country, except in a state 

 of artificial warmth ; and that when one is, by accident, lost in a rabbit-hole, he is sure 

 to die of cold, or at all events, never to be seen again alive. Indeed I have always un- 

 derstood that in no part of Europe can the ferret be acclimatized, it being originally 

 a native of Africa. I should be very glad to know, whether Mr. Newton is aware of 

 any authentic instance of a ferret being seen at large, at any distance from human ha- 

 bitations, or of its being taken in a trap set for polecats or other vermin. — Id. 



A White or Cream-coloured Polecat. — In the summer of last year I received 

 from a relative in Devonshire, a large polecat, which was of a uniform light yellow or 

 cream-colour all over. Have any of your readers ever seen a similar one ? The per- 

 son who stuffed it for me has had much experience, and it was quite a novelty to him. 

 Fitchet-coloured ferrets are common, and are supposed (I know not why) to be stronger 

 and more hardy than those of the ordinary colour; but a ferret-coloured polecat 

 I never saw before. I do not think it is an albino. Some continental naturalists 

 state that, in the north of Europe, the polecat turns white in winter, but this animal 

 was sent to me in summer. — Id. 



The Ermine taken in Worcestershire and near London. — Before I quit the Muste- 

 lidae let me say a few words on another of the family, namely, the stoat or ermine (M. 

 erminea). Many of our authors seem to think that this animal never assumes its er- 

 mine coat, with us, except in Scotland or the most northerly English counties ; and 

 Professor Bell gives a long and interesting account, by Mr. Hogg, of two ermines seen 

 in Durham, during a period of nine years ; with some speculations on the compara- 



