8 
FELLDiE. 
rangement. In both instances the quarry were all dead. This is contrary 
to the views of a writer in the Magazine of Natural History. 
In proof of the swimming powers of the stoat, I may mention an anec- 
dote which I have learned from a trustworthy source : — A respectable 
farmer, when crossing in his boat over an arm of the sea, about one mile 
in breadth, which separates a portion of Islandmagee (a peninsula near 
Larne, County Antrim) from the mainland, observed a ripple proceeding 
from some animal in the water; and, on rowing up, found that it was a 
“ weasel,” which, he had no doubt, was swimming for Islandmagee, as he 
had seen it going in a direct line from the shore ; and it had reached the 
distance of a quarter of a mile, when overtaken. The poor animal was 
cruelly killed, though its gallant swimming might have pleaded in favour 
of its life. 
I have seen the stoat scampering over a very uneven wall of loose 
stones almost as rapidly as on level ground, and have admired its ex- 
tremely graceful movements. That its agility renders it a dangerous 
enemy to the feathered tribes appears from the following note : — On 2nd 
September, 1851, the gamekeeper at Tollymore Park (County Down) 
showed me a Portugal laurel, bordering on a walk in the pleasure-ground, 
near the house, on the exposed side of which he was attracted, some years 
ago, by the loud cries of a song-thrush ; and, on going near the scene, he 
saw a stoat descending the tree with a young bird. He instantly shot the 
depredator ; and, on examining the nest, found that the stoat had killed 
a couple of the young, and partly demolished the nest. Two other young 
ones were, however, still safe, and he had no doubt that they were brought 
to full maturity by their parents. The site of the nest — about eight feet 
from the ground — was pointed out to me. 
In July, 1850, a cat was observed, at Holywood House, in the County 
of Down, in the act of killing a full-grown stoat, which she brought to 
her kittens : they ate freely of it. 
In 1845 a stoat was brought to Mr. Davis of Clonmel, which he gave 
to a friend, in whose house it became quite domesticated, and was greatly 
admired for the extreme lightness and elegance of its movements, and 
also for its ceaseless activity. At first it was kept in a cage, whence it 
escaped, and murdered a jay in the same room ; after this it was not con- 
fined, but ranged at will through a large shop, a cellar, and two ware- 
rooms, and never evinced any wish to leave them. Here it became quite 
tame, and obviously preferred some members of the family to others. Its 
frolics in the shop were very amusing. Sometimes it would scamper 
along the counter ; at others, run up a lady’s back until it reached her 
bonnet ; but its greatest delight seemed to be giving battle to two old 
stuffed magpies, twining round their necks, pulling out their feathers, and 
occasionally tumbling with one from the shelf on which they were kept. 
It was fed for several months on bread and milk varied with fleshmeat ; 
its teeth had been purposely broken, and consequently it was not well 
able to kill mice. 
Polecat, Mustela putorius, Linn. 
The polecat is not positively known as an Irish species to any natural- 
ist, gamekeeper, or other person familiar with it, whom I have question- 
ed on the subject. 
It is said to inhabit the wild woods of Kerry ; and I have received 
notes of the capture, in several other counties, of animals supposed to be 
of this species, but their identity has not been satisfactorily proved. Two 
