68 
HABITS OF THE POLECAT. 
was content, not merely to overlook the childish smile of these little boys, but 
even to put up with the open expressions of wonder and contemptuous astonish¬ 
ment of others, whose years or connection with me precluded fitting resentment. 
I heeded them not, satisfied within my own mind, that I was pursuing the only 
path by which I might hope eventually to arrive at a competent knowledge of the 
Zoology of the British islands. Many, also, who read my papers, may greet 
them with a smile, and think I might have been better employed. Perhaps so : 
but some, I am convinced, will recognise the productions of one whose tastes are 
congenial with their own, and these perhaps will honour my humble papers with 
indulgence, if not approval; or even should I meet with nothing but derision, the 
laugh, though levelled only at me, will fall on many deservedly great and exalted 
individuals, men ennobled by the superiority of their minds , not of their purses , 
with whom I should be proud of being associated even in ridicule. 
One Sunday morning, a party of young tradespeople, grocers’-shopmen, tailors’- 
assistants, &c., set off for the romantic vale of Roslin, and Hawthornden, about 
seven miles from town. Having reached the place of their destination, they were 
reclining by the side of the murmuring Esk, a small but exquisitely-beautiful 
river, which wound its silvery and tortuous way past their feet. I fancy the 
young people’s imaginations were dwelling on far other topics than the beauties 
of the surrounding scenery—they saw not the perpendicular and craggy banks 
rising at either side of the river in front and at their backs, rearing their beetling 
summits to an almost fearful height. They saw not “Wight Wallace’s” cave, 
’midst the inaccessible crags before them, nor the gigantic Ash which appeared, 
growing, as it were, in the solid stone, as a shelter and further concealment for the 
entrance of the Scottish chiefs’ place of refuge: but one thing they did see—they 
saw that the water rippling along, about four feet below them, would, if it could, 
be got at, make capital grog, with a bottle of good “ Islay ” they had brought 
with them; and, accordingly, they rose to their feet and sauntered down the 
river, in search of a more sloping part of the bank. They soon found one, where 
the roots of an old Elm-tree aided in forming a sort of step to the water’s edge : 
but as one of the party was taking advantage of this, to fill his flask with the 
pure water from a hole beneath the tree, almost at their very feet, started forth 
a Polecat. The lads did not very well know what it was, but human nature 
delights in any kind of hunting or destruction of animal life—off went the party 
in pursuit, and forth started another and smaller Polecat—the latter was stopped 
in his career by the blow of a stone which broke his left fore leg—and the other 
turning to bay, was killed with sticks; the smaller animal they secured and 
brought home with a reference to selling it to me. Accordingly, the following 
morning, they left him with me for the moderate sum of ten shillings. 
The colour of this animal was a very dark brown, with shades of a yellowish 
