HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 227 



young Ferret, after it has feized a Rat, will fuffer itfelf 

 to be dragged by it a confiderable way before it has kill- 

 ed it, which it never fails to do in a fliort time. 



If the Ferret could be kept warm enough at fea, it 

 might be extremely ferviceable in deftroying the Rats, 

 which frequently commit fuch great depredations on 

 board of {hips, and have fometimes been the occafion of 

 their total lofs. 



The Ferret, though eafily tamed, is foon irritated. — Its 

 odour is fetid ; its nature voracious ; it is tame without 

 attachment ; and fuch is its appetite for blood, that it 

 has been known to attack and kill children in the cradle, 

 - — When angry, it is apt to bite 5 and the wound is diffi- 

 cult to cure. 



The Madagafcar Weafel> or Vanfire of M. Buffon, may 

 be referred to this fpecies \ to which its fize and form 

 are ftrikingly fimilar.- — It is about fourteen inches in 

 length : The hair is of a dark-brown colour, mixed with 

 black : It differs from the Ferret in the number of its 

 grinding-teeth, which amount to twelve ; whereas, in the 

 Ferret, there are but eight : The tail is longer than that 

 of the Ferret, and better furnifhed with hair. 



The fame author mentions another animal of this fpe- 

 cies under the name of the Nems, which is a native of' 

 Arabia. — It refembles the Ferret in every thing but the 

 colour, being of a dark-brown, mixed with white ; the 

 belly is of a bright-yellow colour, without any mixture 5 

 the prevailing colour on the head and round the eyes is a 

 clear yellow ; on the nofe, cheeks, and other parts of the 

 face where the hair is fhort, a tinclure of brown more or 

 lefs prevails, and terminates gradually above the eye ; 



P 2 



