Temple.
_Mousehunt_ (Vol. viii., pp. 516. 606.; Vol. ix., p. 65.).--This animal is
well known by this name in Norfolk, where the marten is very rare, if not
entirely unknown. The Norfolk mousehunt, or mousehunter, is the _Mustela
vulgaris_. (Vide Forby's _Vocab. of East Anglia_, vol. ii. p. 222., who
errs, however, in calling it the stoat, but says that it is the "smallest
animal of the weasel tribe, and pursues the smallest prey.") It would be of
much use, both to naturalists and others, if our zoological works would
give the popular provincial names of animals and birds; collectors might
then more easily procure specimens from labourers, &c. I have formed a list
of Norfolk names for birds, {136} which shall appear in "N. & Q." if
desired. The Norfolk _Mustelidæ_ in order of size are the "_poll_cat," or
weasel; the stoat, or cane; the mousehunt, mousehunter, or lobster. A
popular notion of gamekeepers is, that pollcats add a new lobe to their
livers every year of their lives; but the disgusting smell of the animal
prevents examining this point by dissection.