VIVERRA 
tawny colour, and about eighteen inches 
long. It is the most elegant of the weasel 
tribe, with a small head, elegant shape, and 
animated eyes, agile and graceful in its 
movements, capable of being reared, when 
taken young, to great familiarity and spor- 
tiveness, yet ever addicted to abandon the 
full supplies of confinement for the plea- 
sures of freedom, however alloyed these 
may be by occasional indigence or desti- 
tution. It is an inhabitant of the woods, 
living upon small birds and other animals, 
and breeding in the holes of trees. It pro- 
duces no disagreeable effluvia, but is strong- 
ly perfumed. Its fur is highly valued. 
V. martes, or the pine martin, is distin- 
guished fiom the former by its yellow 
breast. It is not frequent in England, but 
in Germany, Sweden, and North America, 
it is easily met with, particularly in woods 
of pine treesi Ils fur is preferred conside- 
rably to that of the last. It confines itself 
to woods and fields, never entering the ha- 
bitations of man, and breeds often in the 
nest of file squirrel, the buzzard, and the 
wood-pecker. 
V. zibellina, or the sable, is about the 
same size as the martin. Its general colour 
is a deep shining brown, and the hair is ash- 
coloured at the roots, and black at the tips. 
It is found in the Arctic regions, and its fur 
is a most valuable article of commerce, 
when of a particular extent and beauty, be- 
ing sold for from twelve to fifteen pounds. 
This extraordinary price for the skin of so 
small an animal induces the robust and 
hardy natives of the north to hunt sables 
amidst the rigours of winter with unwea- 
ried assiduity and perseverance. These 
make their progresses over regions covered 
with snow, and in the most intense severity 
of winter, marking the trees as they advance, 
that they may recognize their direction for 
return, and sometimes after spreading a net 
before the entrance of one of the burrows 
of a sable, waiting often even two whole 
days for the animal’s appearance, and some- 
times of course waiting in vain. These 
men, during the extreme hunger which 
they sometimes experience, find some allay 
to it by pressing on their stomachs with 
tightened cords thin pieces of board. The 
furs are most valued which are taken between 
November and Februai-y. The hunting in 
Siberia was formerly conducted by crimi- 
nals banished to that country, and by sol- 
diers sent to it for this particular business, 
and who were stationed there for several 
years, and both were obliged to furnish a 
certain number of skins. Sables are cs' 
tremely active and lively by night, but 
spend the greater part of the day in sleep. 
They subsist on squirrels and small birds, 
which they pursue from one tree to ano- 
ther with the most elastic agility. Rats, 
pine tops, and fruits, are also eaten by them. 
They are stated also to be fond of fish, 
and to be capable both of diving and swim- 
ming. They live in holes in the banks of 
rivers, and under the roots of trees. See 
Mammalia, Plate XVI. fig. 5. 
V. putorius, or the pole cat, bears a very 
striking resemblance to the martin, is pos- 
sessed of extreme nimbleness and activity, 
and climbs trees, and even creeps up walls, 
with great rapidity. It devours the smaller 
animals without discrimination, and pigeons, 
poultry, and rabbits, experience from it 
most fatal havoc. During winter its neces- 
sities urge it to frequent, if possible, not on- 
ly the barn, but also the dairy. It is stated, 
on respectable authority, that in some in- 
stances pole-cats have been observed to 
feed on fishes, particularly eels, which they 
have dragged from rivulets at a distance to 
their habitation, repeating their labours ma- 
ny times in the course of a single night, and 
consequently accumulating a great number 
of these fishes for their subsistence. This 
animal has been known in winter to attack 
bee-hives, and devour the honey. It is ex- 
tremly fierce, and will defend itself with 
astonishing spirit, even against dogs. It 
is distinguished for the most disagreeable 
odour, which, however, is not retained in 
the skin long after the animal is killed, this 
being dressed with the fur on it, and being 
held in considerable estimation. The female 
produces, in summer, five or six young 
ones, which require the attentions of the 
parent only for a short time, and are trained 
to suck the blood of the animals procured by 
her for their support. 
V. furor, or the ferret, resembles the pole- 
cat both in form and manners. It is a na- 
tive of Afi'kia, whence it is stated to have 
been imported into Spain for the destruc- 
tion of the rabbits, which had multiplied in 
that country to the most injurious excess. 
It was thence introduced into other Euro- 
pean countries, but is ill adapted to endure 
the rigours of a northern w inter, being par- 
ticularly susceptible of cold. It may be 
tamed, but appears little capable of grati- 
tude or attachment, and has such a thirst 
for blood, that it has been known to grasp 
at the throats of infants in the cradle, and 
suck them' till it has been completely gmg- 
