Ron Freethy, 1983 "Man and Beast" Blandford Press, Poole.
 
This volume describes itself as being an investigation into the natural and
unnatural history of British mammals, and does well in several areas.  In
other areas it comes up short, such as the portions concerning the domestic
ferret.  Particularly irritating are the continued use of inflamitory quotes
which neither correctly informs the reader of the actual natural history of
the animal, nor helps to dispell such myths.  In sad fact, they could be
used to hurt the general cause for any animal because of the ease in which
they could be negatively quoted.
 
For example, in chapter nine, Freethy quotes a 1934 work by W.  S.  Berridge
numerous times, casting little doubt to the accuracy or truthfulness of the
reports.  Unfortunately, the cited book is typical of those published a
half-century ago, meaning it is full or rumor and unsupported stories,
advanced as fact.  Freethy quotes Berridge's description of hunting stoats
using their anal sac secretions to paralyze (with fear) unfortunate rabbits
and rodents.  Freethy also quotes a story about a highland shepard being
attacked by a company of stoats which was trying to reach his throat, and it
was only with difficulty that he was able to beat them off.
 
Well, the scent may stink, and a weasel may decide to protect itself when
cornered, but both stories are about as believable as intelligence in the
California Fish and Game.  Weasels are solitary and territorial, so the idea
of a pack of weasels is, well, quite hard to imagine.  Unless it was a
family (mom and the kids), but then the idea of kits ripping out a throat
well rather comical.  This type of writing is irresponsible and dangerous,
and only leads to the perpetuation of animal myths of a dangerous nature.
 
As for his treatment of ferrets, it is rather short, and for the most part,
not very informative.  By 1983, most biologists had accepted the idea the
ferret was a descendant of the European polecat (rightly or wrongly), but
Freethy suggests the steppe polecat is the favored choice.  His history of
the ferret is a single one-sentence paragraph
 
He does include a story of the use of the ferret during World War One; one I
have been able to confirm by an outside source.  The ferret was used by both
sides during the war in an effort to rid the trenches of rats, a job I've
been told in which they went beyond the call of duty.  (I can just see a
cartoon with a ferret wearing a WWI steel helmet, with an FLO patch on the
side.)
 
Overall, the book mildly mediocre, and I recommend those interested should
borrow a copy first, before the purchase, and determine for themselves the
ultimate value of the book before spending the cash. Otherwise....
 
Mo' Bob and the 18 Mo' Trencheteers
[Posted in FML issue 1863]