Clafs I. ] 
QUADRUPEDS. 
37 
GENUS XII. The W E E S E L. 
SPECIES I. 
Polecat or Fitchet. Raii. fyn. 
quad. 199. 
Meyer’s an. 2. Tab. 6. 
Charlton ex. 20. 
Gefner quad.. 767. . 
Muftela pilis in exortu ex cinereo 
albidis, colore nigricante termi- 
The POLECAT. 
natis, oris circumferentia alba. 
Brijfon quad. 249. 
Buffon Tom. 7. 199. Tab. 23. 
Muftela putorius. Lin. Jyft. 46. 
Muftela fbetida. Klein quad. 63. 
Muftela flavefcente nigricans, ore 
albo, collari flavefcente. Faun. 
• fuec. 8. . . 
Britijh , Ffwlbard 
French , Putoir 
Italian , Foetta, Puzolo 
Spanijhy Putoro 
NAMES < 
Portug. 
German , UtiE ulk. Buntfing 
Dutch , Bonfer 
Swedijh , I Her 
r~\ |"^\h E length of this animal, is about 
feventeen inches,exclufive of the tail $ 
that of the tail fix. The fhape of 
this animal in particular, as well as of the whole 
genus, is long and {lender; the nofe fharp- 
pointed, and the legs fhort : in fine, admira¬ 
bly formed for infinuating itfelf into the fmali- 
eft holes and paflages, in fearch of prey : it is 
a very nimble and a&ive race, runs very faft, 
will creep up the fides of walls with great 
agility, and fprings with vaft force : in rim¬ 
ing, the belly feems to touch the ground : in 
preparing to jump, it arches its back, which 
alfifts it greatly in that action. 
The ears are fhort, rounded and tipt with 
white : the circumference of the mouth, that 
is to fay, the ends of the lower and upper 
mandibles are white : the head, legs and 
thighs, are wholly of a deep chocolate color, 
almoft black. The fides are covered with 
hairs of two colors ; the longer are of a 
blackifh hue, like the other parts 5 the Ihort- 
er are of a full tawny color. 
The toes are long, and feparated to the 
very origin : the tail is covered with pretty 
long hair. 1 
The polecat is very deftru&ive to young 
game of all kinds ; and to poultry : they 
generally refide in woods, or thick brakes ; 
burroughing under ground, forming a {hallow 
retreat, about two yards in length; which 
commonly ends, for its fecurity, among the 
roots of fome large trees : in the winter it 
frequents houfes, and makes a common prac¬ 
tice of robbing the dairy of the milk : it alfo 
makes great havoke in warrens. 
It will breed five or fix at a time 5 warreners 
will fometimes permit a crofs between this 
animal and the ferret \ for the latter, by long 
confinement, will abate its favage nature; and 
become lefs eager after rabbets,and confequent- 
ly lefs ufeful. The ferret agrees with the 
polecat in many refpe£ts, particularly in its 
thirft after the blood of rabbets : they readily 
couple, and the produce of the Hie ferret is im- 
K proved : 
