NATURAL HISTORY NOTES AND QUERIES. 
Author Wanted. — I shall be much obliged if Naturk Notes can 
tell me where the enclosed lines come from. I cannot find out the authorship. 
(A line or two was once quoted in the text of N.A/'.) — Yours truly, 
M. II. 
“ Think, every morning when the sun peeps through 
The dim leaf latticed windows of the grove. 
How jubilant the happy birds renew 
Their old melodious madrigals of love ! 
And when you tliink of this, remember, too, 
’Tis always morning somewhere, and above 
The awakening Continents, from shore to shore. 
Somewhere, the birds are singing evermore. ’ 
Polecat. — Referring to Mr. Rawlins’s note on this subject in last month’s 
Nature Notes it may be of interest to record that I have in my possesion a 
very fine male polecat from Montgomeryshire, measuring twenty-two inches in 
total length, which was shot by a keeper on September 14, 1896. 
Though not yet extinct, there can be no doubt that this creature is becoming 
much more restricted in its distribution in Great Britain, being still found in parts 
of Wales, the Lake District and in Scotland. 
Elm House, Hampstead. Basil W. Martin. 
A correspondent enquires in the IMay number of Nature Notes as to 
the occurrence of the polecat. .Speaking for this part of Berkshire, I believe 
from the enquiries I have made that it is now nearly e.xtinct. One was seen 
about ten or twelve years ago in a neighbouring parish, persistently chasing 
a rabbit in full view of some labourers, who ceased their work to watch the 
chase and result. The polecat eventually killed the rabbit, which was picked 
up by the men, and sold to a passing carrier. This is the last I can hear of. 
Years ago it was common enough in the neighbourhood. An old keeper once 
told me he succeeded in trapping no less than seven in one place. 
Fyjield, 7 iear Alnngdo}}. W. II. Warner. 
Mole. —Yesterday afternoon (May 5) I noticed a mole on my lawn amusing 
itself in rather a queer way. It was working away with its snout and shovel- 
like fore-paws in the usual determined fashion, apparently trying to burrow. Of 
this, however, I was by no means certain, as it had made eight or ten small holes, 
all nearly alike, in various parts of the lawn, but at no great depth below the 
surface. Venturing to touch its velvet coat, it began running about in an aimless 
sort of way, and at length came straight towards me as if eager to attack. It at 
last ran into a border, and hid itself among the plants. I fancy it must have 
been grubbing in the turf for worms and other creatures. A fine cock blackbird 
which haunts the lawn and shrubs had two days previously been making some- 
what similar holes in the path close by — the object in this case being sufficiently 
obvious. Though I have often seen moles running about, I was not previously 
aware that they sought for food above ground during the day, though Bell in his 
“British Quadrupeds” says they do so at night in the month of June. The 
correspondent who asks on p. 24 whether moles breed in the spring-time of the 
year, is informed that young moles have been found from early in April to 
August, according to the above-named author. 
Fyfield, tiear Abingdon. W. H. Warner. 
Moles and Weasels. —Since I wrote the note on p. 71 three other weasels 
have been taken in mole traps. It appears that this occurred in the Rev. Gilbert 
White’s time, since he mentions it in a letter dated September 2, 1774. I had a 
misfortune with the one I wrote of on p. 71. After keeping it several days in the 
wire rat-trap it forced through the wires and climbed to the bird-cages and killed 
four bullfinches by forcing itself in through the wires. One bird it also pulled 
through the wires and carried it away, where I found the weasel lying snugly by 
it. Like foxes, weasels are not satisfied with killing what they require, and 
usually kill a litter of young rabbits and only eat a portion. The weasel managed 
to make its escape, so that it is uncertain where it is by this time. 
Astwood Bank. J. Hiam. 
