The ferret

make their appearance towards the end of May or the beginning of June Sometimes the nest is made in a deserted rabbit-burrow, sometimes in the deep and dark crannies which are often found in rocky locaUties, and sometimes in the interstices which exist between large and rough stones when they are thrown loosely into a heap. If a stoneheap should be covered with grass or brushwood, the Polecat seems to be better pleased than if the component parts were bleak and bare, and is more likely to take up its residence within its recesses. On one occasion, when a Polecat had entered a rabbit 3 burrow for the purpose of destroying the inmates, it was followed by a ferret, which had been sent into the burrow by its master for the same object. As the ferret remained in the burrow for a very long time, its master became impatient, and thinking that it might have settled itself to sleep, began to stamp on the ground and to shout into the hole, in order to awaken the slumbering animaL

After a while, to use the language of the narrator, " I heard a faint noise, which resembled the squeak of a ferret. I was all astonishment, and could not account for it; I listened again, and the noise grew louder, as if proceeding from more than one animal. Presently, I observed the ferret's tail and soon afterwards saw that it was struggling hard to bring something out of the burrow, which I thought must be a rabbit. The ferret continued to drag its prey to the mouth of the hole, when, to my astonishment, I found it closely interlocked with a male Polecat; they had fastened like bull-dogs on each other's necks. The Polecat, when it saw me, did not quit its hold, but redoubled its efforts, and dragged the ferret back into the earth, when the squeaking was resumed.

I now feared for the ferret's life, but soon observed it again bringing its opponent to the mouth of the hole, so I drew back, hoping that it might be brought out for me to take a shoot. This never however happened, for the Polecat again rained, kept its hold fast, and the belligerent parties once more disappeared.

I neither saw nor heard anything of them for some time, and again feared for my little champion's life. But a third time I saw it dragging out its antagonist with renewed vigour. The ferret brought its opponent to the mouth of the hole, when a desperate struggle ensued, and just as I expected to see the Polecat defeated, the ferret, quite exhausted, relinquished the combat and came hopping towards me, considerably mangled about the throat. Its enemy did not dare to follow, but stood deliberately snuffing up the air at the mouth of its burrow. I took aim at the Polecat, and, strange to say, my gun missed fire at least four or five times, when the bttle hero, turning quickly round, escaped into the earth, thus failing with my auxiliaries, my ferret and my gun.

I attribute the defeat of the ferret to the inevitable loss of vigour which every animal must suffer when confined under the dominion of man, and restrained from those habits of invariable instinct which in their natural state produces in them the greAi height of perfection"

In no manner is the dominion of mankind over the inferior animals more powerful] _v asserted than in his power of subjecting them to his influence, and bending their natural instincts to his service. There really appears to be hardly any group of animals, and. indeed, but very few families, which do not furnish their quota to the number of tbe servants of the human race.

We have already seen that several species of the monkey race are employed in tt* service of the human inhabitants of their native land. The bats appear to have escaped at present from the service of mankind, although it has been proved that they an? possessed of a considerable amount of intellect, and can be tamed without difficulty Among the cats, the chetah and the caracal are examples of wild animals whose destructive instinct has been employed in the service of mankind. Several species of the ciwt tr»Khave been taught to chase and destroy rats, mice, or other domestic pests, while tfc* services which are rendered to mankind by the dog are too well known to need more th*s a passing reference.

companion of the rat-catcher and the rabbit-hunter, being employed for the purpose of following its prey into their deepest recesses, and of driving them from their strongholds into the open air, when the pursuit is taken up by its master. The mode in which the Ferret is employed will be presently related.

Some writers have thought the Ferret to be identical in species with the polecat, and have strengthened this opinion by the well-known fact that a mixed breed between these two animals is often employed by those who study the development and the powers of the Ferret.

However, the most generally received opinion of the present day considers the Ferret to be a distinct species. Mr. Bell, in his work on the British Quadrupeds, remarks that the different geographical range which is inhabited by these creatures is one of the most striking arguments in favour of the distinction of the species. The polecat is found in the northern parts of Europe, bearing the severest cold with impunity, and able to track its prey for many miles over the snow. But the Ferret is originally a native of Africa, and is most sensitive to cold, needing artificial means whereby it can be preserved from the cold air of our English climate, and perishing if it be exposed to the frosts of winter. When the Ferret is kept in a state of domestication, the box or hutch in which it resides must be amply supplied with hay, wool, or other warm substances, or the creature will soon pine away and die.

It sometimes happens that a Ferret escapes from its owners, and making its way into the nearest wood or warren, remains in its new quarters until the end of autumn, living quite at its ease, and killing rabbits and game at its leisure. But when the cold weather draws near, and the frosty nights of autumn begin to herald the frosty days of winter, the Ferret will do its best to return to its captivity and its wanner bed, or, failing in its attempt, will die. That a Ferret should escape is by no means an unlikely circumstance, for the creature is so active of limb and so serpentine of body that it can avail itself of the

very smallest opening, and, when once at liberty, can conceal itself with such address that it is very rarely recovered.

Some years ago, an escaped Ferret was discovered in its usurped burrow, and most gallantly captured by a young lad who was at the time among the number of my pupil3. He was prowling round a small, thickly-wooded copse, in search of birds' nests, when he saw a sharply-pointed snout protruding from a rabbit-hole in the bank which edged the copse, and a pair of fiery little eyes gleaming bike two living gems in the semi-darkness of the burrow. Being a remarkably silent and reticent lad, he told no one of his discovery,

but went into the village, and presently returned, bearing a little dead kitten which had just been drowned. He then crept to the foot of the bank which overhung the burrow, and holding the dead kitten by its tail, lowered it into the hole. The Ferret made an immediate spring at the prey which had made so opportune an arrival, and was jerked out of the burrow before it could loosen its hold.

The lad grasped the Ferret across the body, but as he was lying in such a manner that he could only use his left arm, the enraged animal began to bite his hand in the most furious manner. However, the young captor could not be induced to let the Ferret escape, and with great presence of mind whirled the creature round with such rapidity that it