folecaC 36 S 
the bottom, sleeping the greatest part of the time, 
and waking only to satisfy the calls of hunger. 
They arc usually kept in boxes, with wool, of 
which they make themselves a warm bed; that 
serves to defend them from the rigour of the cli- 
mate. They sleep almost continually ; and the 
instant they a waive, they seem eager for food They 
are usually fed with bread and milk. They breed 
twice a year Some of them devour their young 
as soon as brought forth, and then become fit for 
the male again. Their number is usually from 
five to six at a litter ; and this is said to consist 
of more females than males. Upon the whole, 
this is an useful, but a disagreable and offensive 
animal ; its scent is fetid, its nature voracious, 
it is tame without any attachment, and such is its 
appetite for blood, that it has been known to 
attack and kill children in the cradle. It is very easy 
to be irritated ; and, although at all times its smell is 
very offensive, it then is much more so ; and iti 
bite is very difficult of cure. 
Polecat. 
The polecat is larger than the weasel, the 
ermine, or the ferret; being one foot five inches 
long ; whereas, the weasel is but six inches, the 
ermine nine, and the ferret eleven inches. It so 
much resembles the ferret in form, that some have 
been of opinion they were one and the same animal “ 
nevertheless, there are a sufficient number of dis- 
tinctions between them ; it is, in the first place, 
larger than the ferret ; it is not quite so slender, and 
has a blunter nose ; it differs also internally, 
having but fourteen ribs, whereas the ferret has 
fifteen; and wants one of the breast bones, which 
is found in the ferret ; however, warreners assert, 
that the polecat Will mix with the feract ; and 
YOL. I. 3 B 
