MAMMALS. 



last known to have been heard of in the district, where formerly it 

 was considered common. I have a recent record from the Tay 

 portion of the Edinchip property. 



In 1880 Mr. Walter D. Duncan, co-lessee with Mr. John Dixon 

 of the Edinchip shootings (Sir Malcolm Macgregor, Bart.), saw a fine 

 Polecat close to the march between Edinchip and Suie ; and pre- 

 vious to this Mr. Dixon shot one about the same place — which I 

 take to be somewhere on the ridge on the west end, above Loch 

 Eala (J. A. H.-B.). This was in August 1880. When shooting 

 there shortly afterwards, I was told by the gamekeeper that he had 

 not heard of any in that neighbourhood since about 1868 — i.e. until 

 the above were seen and shot. The keeper had also been keeper on 

 Suie prior to his coming to Edinchip. Two were trapped in Glen- 

 artney Forest about twenty years previous to this (say about 1860 

 or 1861). 



Taking the belt further to the north, one was trapped on 

 Ballechin Hill about thirty years ago, i.e. about 1850, by Mr. 

 Thos. Murray, gamekeeper; and about the year 1852 Polecats 

 were known to haunt the east side of Drummond Hill. At 

 Killin Mr. D. Dewar got a male and a female in 1858, the last 

 obtained on Loch Tay side. One of these he carried home in his 

 handkerchief, but it was so offensive that he could not keep it. The 

 Breadalbane lists for the past ten years contain, however, records 

 of 8 Polecats {i.e. killed since 1891, when 3 were paid for; then 

 2 in 1892 ; 1 in 1893 ; 1 in 1894 ; and 1 in 1895). From the Atholl 

 properties I have no returns, nor are any mentioned among the 

 rarities which have occurred during the past forty years. 



Dr. Buchanan White seems, however, to have considered it as 

 still of occasional occurrence in Perthshire when he drew up his list 

 — as indeed he was justified in doing, as the Breadalbane lists 

 prove. He designated it as "rare in Perthshire, occasionally seen in 

 both Highlands and Lowlands, but since 1869," etc. 



Dr. Buchanan WTiite then instances one killed at the Stormonth- 

 field ponds about forty years ago — pre^dous to the date of his 

 writing ; and I have the account of one trapped in the Carse of 

 Gowrie by Mr. James Keddie, on the authority of Col. H. W. 

 Feilden, in 1849. Col. Feilden adds: "It had previously killed 

 sixteen chickens belonging to Mr. Gray, tenant at the home farm. 

 Keddie found their remains in a drain about a quarter of a mile 

 from *he farm." 



Coming now to Strathmore and the easterly portions of our area, 



