POLECAT (probably from Fr. poule, hen + Eng. eat hardly from /We + cat, or from (lF. pulcat, stinking + Ent. eat), (o. Frroarr. The of European martens (Putorius (crtidus), the length of the head and body being about eighteen inches. the length of the tail more than five inches. and the form stouter than that of the weasel. its color• is a deep blackish brown; the head, tail. and feet almost black. the under parts yellowish. the ears edged with white, and a whit ish -.pair around the muzzle. The hair is of two kinds—a short, woolly fur, which is pale yellow, or somewhat tawny: and long shining, darker hairs. (See Plate of Fyn-BEARING ANistArs.) There is a pouch or follicle under the tail, which exudes a yellowish. creamish substance with a fetid odor; and this odor is particularly strong when the animal is irritated or alarmed. Donee its name foumart (foul marten), which, with various provincial mm: oil iii eat ions, is prevalent in !nest parts of Great Britain.
The polecat was much more common in Great Britain in former limes than now, and is almost extirpated front some districts, through the con stant. war waged against it. It. eats everything that the game-keeper wishes to preserve and is extremely destructive in the poultry•yard. The ferret, however, is only a semi-domesticated race of this species, its natural energies eontrolled for the pursuit of vermin. The skin is used as a fin- under the name of filch, and is similar but inferior to that of the marten. The long hairs, pulled out IT the furrier, are utilized for making artists' brushes, The 'polecat' of North America is the skunk, and that of South Africa is a badger (qq.v.).