In the Footsteps of Johnson and Boswell by Israel Shenker

Shenker, Israel. (1982). In the Footsteps of Johnson and Boswell. Houghton Mifflin Company: Boston.

[Transcriber’s Note: Walking on the Old Military Road to Glenmoriston]

“… The estate owner, in nineteen seven, built the big lodge that’s there now, and my mother and father and oldest brother moved into what used to be the lodge. Lord Lovat, the present Lord Lovat’s father, bought the estate, and my father, who was working as a gamekeeper before he was married, was his gamekeeper there for forty-five years.

“My father had to keep down the vermin, which was stoats and weasels and crows and hawks and eagles. You’re not allowed to kill these birds now, but in those days they did. And wildcats , foxes . He also had to burn so much heather every year to keep it coming up fresh for the grouse. He had to take a note if the grouse were diseased, to let Lord Lovat know. And of course he had to train the dogs, both terriers and for going to ground, for taking the foxes and wildcats out of the dens. He also trained retrievers. And he had to kill so many stags. And then about June, Lord Lovat, or if he had let the estate to somebody, he used to come up and there would be people there from June until the end of September, and of course they were out grouse-shouting first, and then towards the end of August, September it was deer-stalking. In the season time there was the young fellows and some older men as well. These boys from Foyers, they would just be, I suppose, fourteen, fifteen, and they used to walk fourteen miles in their bare feet up there, because they were too poor, they didn’t have boots to put on their feet. They used to go up before the people came that had taken the estate, or Lord Lovat, was coming up. They used to have to repair the butts - they’re made of turf, built up to about chest level, for the shooters to stand in. And these boys, when the season started, they took to what they called beating, and they had a line and they drove the grouse into the butts. They had flags or something to wave to frighten the birds. And of course they had to repair drains and ditches in the hill, and all that sort of thing.” pp. 98 -99
[Transcriber’s Note: These are the reminiscences of Mrs. Forbes, a local woman in her sixty-fourth year at some point in the early 1980’s. Mrs. Forbes accompanied Mr. Shenker on a walk down a military road used by Johnson and Boswell in 1773: a route heading northwest from Fort Augustus called the “old military road to Glenmoriston”.
I wonder what difference there is between a terrier and a dog that “goes to ground”?]

End Notes

THE STOAT Mustela erminea http://www.abdn.ac.uk/mammal/facts.htm

Recognition: Long slender body with short legs. Medium-short tail (length 95-140mm) always with a black tip. Fur reddish brown to ginger above, white to cream below. Some animals turn white or partially white in winter. Head/body length: Males 275-312 mm; females 242-292 mm. Weight: Males 200-445g; females 140-280g.

General Ecology:

The stoat occurs throughout Britain and Ireland, living in any habitat at any altitude with sufficient ground cover and food. The stoat's presence on offshore islands depends upon prey availability.
Stoats feed mainly on small mammals, especially rabbits and water voles where these are abundant. Small rodents are also taken, supplemented by birds, eggs, fruit and even earthworms when food is scarce. Stoats don't like to be out in the open and so tend to hunt along ditches, hedgerows and walls or through meadows and marshes. They search each likely area systematically, often running in a zig-zag pattern. All but the largest prey is killed by a single bite to the back of the neck.
The nests of former prey are taken over as dens which may be lined with rodent fur in colder climates. Within its territory the resident stoat will have several dens which it uses periodically.
Male and female stoats live separately, marking their territories with scent. These animals will defend their territory against intruders of the same sex, but in spring the males' system breaks down as they range widely in search of females.

Although females (including that year's kits, which may be only 2 - 3 weeks old) are mated in early summer, they do not give birth until the following spring because implantation is delayed for 9 - 10 months and gestation is only 4 weeks. Between 6 and 12 young are born - blind, deaf and barely furred. The female feeds them for up to 12 weeks, by which time they are developing into efficient hunters.
Food shortage is probably the main cause of death for young stoats but, at any age, they are occasionally taken by owls, hawks or larger carnivores. There is little competition for food between stoats and weasels. The stoat is much more aggressive and can handle larger prey, but the weasel is an excellent 'tunnel-hunter', reaching small rodents which the stoat cannot.

Stoats are sometimes called 'weasels' in Ireland, where the true weasel does not occur.

Conservation:

For many years gamekeepers and poultry farmers have attempted to control stoats. An animal getting into a shed or pen can kill every bird it holds. Such frenzied attacks are typical behaviour for many small carnivores faced with abundant 'prey'. Trapping is less intensive than it used to be (stoats were also taken for their skins, especially when in ermine) but it appears that this had little long-term effect on numbers as natural mortality is usually quite high in stoat populations.
Stoats are legally protected in Eire but not in the United Kingdom.

Frequent Questions:

How can I tell a stoat from a weasel?

A stoat is larger than a weasel and its tail is proportionately longer ( 9-14cm for a stoat; 3-5cm for a weasel). The stoat's tail always has a black tip. Also, the dividing line between upper and lower body colour is straight on a stoat but irregular on a weasel. British weasels do not turn white in winter.

What makes the stoat go white in winter?

The shortening days of autumn bring on the moult from summer to winter coat. In northern populations the winter fur is white (known as ermine), whilst further south the colour change may be incomplete or not occur at all. In some areas certain animals turn white but others do not. Also, more females go white than males. The tip of the stoat's tail always stays black.

Do stoats hunt in packs?

In the autumn a female and her numerous young may go out hunting together, giving the impression of a 'pack'.

Does myxomatosis in rabbits affect stoats?

The disease cannot be passed from an infected rabbit to a stoat and where local outbreaks have killed many rabbits stoats will switch temporarily to other food. However, British stoat populations were severely reduced after myxomatosis wiped out nearly all the country's rabbits in the 1950's.

Is it true that you can attract stoats by making squeaking noises?

Stoats, and weasels, are particularly curious animals. They may come closer to investigate squeaking noises especially if they sound like the squeal of a rabbit in distress. Try standing still and sucking hard on the back of your hand.

Further Information:

Corbet, G.B. & Harris, S. (1991) The Handbook of British Mammals. (3rd edn.). Blackwell, Oxford.

King, C. (1989) The Natural History of Weasels and Stoats. Christopher Helm, London.

Sleeman, P. (1989) Stoats, Weasels, Polecats and Martens. Whittet Books, London.

All available from The Mammal Society. Robbie MacDonald's Excellent Weasel's Web The Mammal Society - the voice for British mammals, and the only organisation solely dedicated to the study and conservation of British mammals. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Most recent revision January 1st 2001

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The Mammal Society http://www.abdn.ac.uk/mammal/facts.htm Fact Sheet No.13

THE WEASEL Mustela nivalis

Recognition: Fur ginger to russet brown, cream below. Long slender body, short tail.Head/body length: Males 194-217mm; Females 173-183mm. Tail: males 42-52mm; females 34-43mm. Weight: Males 106-131g, Females 55-69g.

General Ecology:

Widespread throughout Britain, weasels are our smallest and probably most numerous carnivores. However, they are absent from Ireland and most off-shore islands. They are found in a wide range of habitats which include urban areas, lowland pasture and woodland, marshes and moors. Weasels are less common where their small mammal prey are scarce, such as at higher altitudes and in dense woodland with sparse ground cover.

Weasels specialise in hunting small rodents and their numbers depend on the abundance of their prey. The weasel's small size enables it to search through tunnels and runways of mice and voles. Access to tunnels means weasels can hunt at any time of the day or year. They do not hibernate and can hunt even under deep snow. Additional prey such as birds, eggs and young rabbits may be taken, particularly if rodents are scarce.
Dens are usually nests of former prey taken over by weasels, and may contain the remains of food from several days meals. In cold climates the nests are often lined with fur from prey. A weasel's home range usually contains several dens and resting places that are visited at intervals.
Weasel home ranges vary in size according to the distribution and density of prey. Male and females live in separate territories, male ranges being larger. Resident animals of both sexes may defend exclusive territories at times when numbers are high and neighbours numerous. In spring males extend their range to seek mates.

Probably only one litter, of 4-6 young are born per season. Young are weaned at 3-4 weeks and can kill efficiently at 8 weeks. Family groups split up at 9-12 weeks.

Only one in 80-90 weasels survives to over 2 years old. They are small enough to be regarded as or confused with prey by almost all other predators; hawks, owls, foxes, cats and mink have been known to eat them.

Conservation:

Traditionally weasels have been considered enemies of gamebirds and Gamekeepers have exercised intensive predator control, trapping and killing many weasels along with other carnivores. Weasels do kill some gamebird chicks, but probably very few.

Weasels have no legal protection in Britain. Trapping probably has no long term effect: weasel populations are very resilient, and they naturally suffer high mortality. In bad rodent years many weasels starve and few of the survivors breed. Local populations often experience extinctions. However, weasels are extremely good at recolonising abandoned areas when conditions improve.

Frequent Questions:

What is the difference between a stoat and a weasel?

Stoats are larger and have longer tails which end in a black tip. Stoats may go white in winter, but weasels in Britain do not. (They do in northern Scandinavia).

I have seen a weasel running round and round in a circle, leaping about and somersaulting. What was it doing?

Weasels acting strangely in this way are said to be "dancing", either in play or as a clever trick to catch prey. This behaviour could be a response to extreme discomfort caused by a large parasitic worm commonly found in the nasal sinuses of stoats and weasels. The presence of these worms causes distortion of the skull bones and consequent pressure on the brain. This, along with the wriggling of the worms must result in extreme irritation, and may affect the weasel's behaviour.

Is it true that weasels form "gangs"?

Parties of weasels can be seen moving around together in early summer. These are usually family groups; a mother and her young, out on a hunting expedition. In a good breeding year these groups can be quite large. After 2 - 3 weeks, when they have got their permanent teeth and gained some experience of hunting, the young will set out on their own. Stories of aggressive gangs of weasels marauding the countryside have been perpetuated by fictional tales like The Wind in the Willows.

Further Information:

Corbet, G.B. & Harris, S. (1991) The Handbook of British Mammals. (3rd edn.). Blackwell, Oxford.

King, C. (1989) The Natural History of Weasels and Stoats. Christopher Helm, London.

Sleeman, P. (1989) Stoats and Weasels, Polecats and Martens. Whittet Books, London.

All available from The Mammal Society.
For details of the other Mammal Society fact sheets and how to obtain copies see the Fact Sheets page.
The Mammal Society
The Mammal Society is dedicated to promoting the study and conservation of British mammals. Membership is open to anyone with an interest in mammals. Mammal enthusiasts under 18 can join the Youth Group, Mammalaction.
For details of membership or publications please write to:
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Most recent revision 25th June 1997

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THE WILDCAT Felis silvestris http://www.abdn.ac.uk/mammal/facts.htm

Recognition: Grey/brown fur with dark stripes; thick tail, with blunt tip. Head/body length: average about 56cm; tail about 29cm. Weight: kittens 100-160g at birth; adult males average 5kg; females 4kg.

General Ecology:

Wildcats are confined to Scotland, north of Glasgow and Edinburgh, but are absent from the Scottish Islands. They prefer areas with varied habitats on the edge of moorland, with pasture, scrub and forests. High mountains, where prey is scarce, and intensively farmed lowland regions are avoided. In winter, bad weather drives wildcats from mountain and moor into more sheltered wooded valleys.

Wildcats are shy and wary animals active at night, mainly around dawn and dusk. Rabbits, hares and small mammals are their principal prey, but quite large birds and animals freshly killed on the roads may also be taken. They sometimes store, or cache, uneaten prey by hiding it under vegetation. During the day, and in periods of heavy rain and snow, wildcats lie up in dens located amongst boulders and rocky cairns, or in old fox earths, badgers setts, peat hags, or tree roots.

Wildcats are solitary and territorial, living at a low population density; there may be one cat to three square kilometres in good habitats but only one cat to 10 square kilometres in less favourable areas. Urine sprayed on boulders and tree trunks and droppings deposited in prominent places, are used by wildcats to mark their territories.

Mating generally takes place in February and litters of 2-6 kittens are born in May. Though litters may be born until August, wildcats produce only one litter a year. Kittens are weaned at 12 weeks and stay with their mother until about five months old. Although wildcats may live 10-12 years in the wild, most seem to die at an early age.

Conservation:

Wildcats used to be found throughout mainland Britain (they have never occurred in Ireland) but, due to persecution and clearance of wooded land, have declined over several centuries. They disappeared from southern England in the 16th Century and the last one recorded from northern England was shot in 1849. Wildcats almost became extinct in Britain in the early years of this century but, following reduced persecution at the time of the first world war, and helped by more forestry plantations, they recolonised parts of Scotland. However, this recovery now seems to have slowed down. The urbanised habitat of the central lowlands of Scotland may present a barrier to further dispersal. A recent survey failed to find any evidence of wildcats south of the industrial belt of Scotland, so that reports of wildcats further south probably refer to domestic cats gone wild.

Although increasing afforestation helped the spread of wildcats, as forest plantations mature they become less suitable for the small mammals on which wildcats prey. Forestry management to encourage wildcats should therefore aim to diversify the age of plantations.

The Wildlife and Countryside Act (1981 and 1988) now gives strict legal protection to wildcats and their dens; it is an offence to take or kill one except under licence. Despite this protection, illegal trapping and shooting are still major causes of death of wildcats. Others die in road traffic accidents and wildcats are still at risk from illegal poisoning.

Inter-breeding with domestic cats gone wild (known as feral cats) could pose an insidious threat to the wildcats' survival in Britain by changing the species' genetic identity. Wildcats are also at risk from diseases of domestic cats such as feline leukaemia.

Frequent Questions:

Where can I see a wildcat?

Because they are so shy and nocturnal, wildcats are very difficult to see in the wild. However, several zoos keep them, including Palacerigg Country Park near Cumbernauld, Glasgow, the Norfolk Wildlife Park and the Highland Wildlife Park at Kincraig.

If wildcats have inter-bred with domestic cats, are there any real wildcats left in Scotland?

Although hybrid cats are widely distributed in certain areas of Scotland, there still seem to be wildcats that show little if any signs of inter-breeding with domestic cats.

Are there any wildcats in England or Wales?

No, wildcats are confined to central and northern Scotland. However, domestic cats that live independently of humans in the wild, do occur throughout Britain. These are not wildcats and never will become wildcats.

Further Information:

Corbet G.B. & Harris S. (1991) The Handbook of British Mammals. (3rd edn.). Blackwell, Oxford.

Easterbee, N., Hepburn, L.V. & Jefferies, D.J. (1991) A Survey of the Status and Distribution of the Wildcat in Scotland 1983-1987. Scottish
Natural Heritage, Edinburgh.

Kitchener, A. (1991) The Natural History of Wildcats. Christopher Helm.

Morris, P.A. (1993) A Red Data Book for British Mammals. The Mammal Society, London.

Tomkies, M. (1991) Wildcats. Whittet Books, London.

All available from The Mammal Society. The Mammal Society - the voice for British mammals, and the only organisation solely dedicated to the study and conservation of British mammals. Most recent revision January 1st 2001

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THE RED FOX Vulpes vulpes http://www.abdn.ac.uk/mammal/facts.htm

Recognition: Reddish orange fur, small dog sized; thick bushy tail in winter Head/body length: average 67-72cm for males; 62-67cm for females; tail about 40cm Weight: average 6-7kg for males; 5-6kg for females.

General Ecology:

A highly adaptable species, found in nearly all habitats from salt marshes and sand dunes to the tops of mountains. In Britain, more than elsewhere in Europe, foxes have also adapted to life in urban surroundings.

Foxes hold territories, the size of which depends on habitat; they can be
as small as 0.2 square kilometres in urban areas or up to 40 square kilometres in hill country. Each territory is occupied by a fox family group. These often consist of a pair - dog fox and vixen - and their cubs. However, in areas where foxes are not persecuted and where there is a plentiful supply of food, a family group may contain several adults.
Foxes have a very wide and varied diet. On salt marshes they eat crabs and dead seabirds, while in upland regions carrion may be important, particularly during the winter months. In lowland rural areas small mammals, especially field voles and rabbits, are the major source of food, with earthworms, beetles, fruit (particularly blackberries) and small birds also being eaten.

Urban foxes glean large amounts of food. Much of this is deliberately supplied by local householders, and is supplemented by scavenging from dustbins, birdtables and compost heaps. Unlike rural foxes, those living in some urban areas eat many small birds and feral pigeons.

Usually only one vixen in a group produces cubs, once a year in the spring. Litters average four to five cubs which are born blind and deaf in a den (called an earth). The earth may be dug by the foxes, or they may enlarge a rabbit burrow or use holes made by other animals. In urban areas cubs are often born under garden sheds. A vixen stays in the earth with her cubs for the first two weeks of their lives. At about four weeks old, usually in late April or early May, cubs begin to come into the open, when they are often seen by city householders.

Foxes generally do not live very long; although they have been recorded up to nine years old in the wild, most survive only one or two years.

Conservation:

Foxes have little legal protection. In some areas they are subjected to much persecution including shooting, hunting, being snared and dug out with terriers and caught with lurchers (fast, long-legged dogs). Self-locking snares and gin traps, both of which were once used to catch foxes, have been outlawed. Free running snares are legal, but they must be inspected at least once a day. These humanitarian provisions are the sole protection received by foxes.

Despite their lack of protection foxes are widespread and abundant. The success of the fox is due to its adaptability and it is in no need of active conservation measures. There remain about 190 fox hunts in England and Wales, but these probably kill a small proportion of foxes compared to those captured in snares and killed by other means. In the early 1980s many foxes were killed each year for their fur, most of which was exported to West Germany. However, with the decline in fur prices, this trade has decreased substantially.

Frequent Questions:

Where can I get a fox as a pet?

You should not try to keep a fox. Although appealing, small cubs grow rapidly and soon become unsuitable as pets. They are then too tame to be returned to the wild.

Why do foxes kill all the hens in a roost?

This is a phenomenon called surplus killing. It is a strategy whereby foxes kill excess prey when it is abundant, and then bury (cache) it for use on days when food is short. It is not a "blood lust".

Can I feed the foxes in my garden?

Yes, they take most household scraps, old meat bones and so on. They will soon become very tame and be easy and enjoyable to watch.
Do foxes kill lambs?

Yes, but generally very few. Studies have shown that most lambs eaten are still-born or sickly, and that losses to foxes are very much lower than losses to other causes such as bad weather.

Further Information:

Corbet G.B. & Harris S. (1991) The Handbook of British Mammals. (3rd edn.). Blackwell, Oxford.

Harris S. (1986) Urban Foxes. Whittet Books, London.

Harris S. & Macdonald D. (1987) Orphaned Foxes. RSPCA, Horsham, Sussex.

Harris S. (1994) The Red Fox. The Mammal Society, London.

All available from The Mammal Society. The Mammal Society - the voice for British mammals, and the only organisation solely dedicated to the study and conservation of British mammals. Most recent revision January 1st 2001