As long as people are bandying about ferret historical trivia, I thought I'd add a few cents worth. Yes, it is true that Queen Victoria had ferrets. I am seen a picture (although I can't remember where) of her with an albino ferret in her arms. I have also read in the same account that she used to breed albinos and give them as gifts to visiting dignataries. Other royalty who were fond of ferrets included Louis 14th. Dr. Hoffman has a Victorian era cloth depicting a young woman with a white ferret. BTW: During that period only albinos were considered "pets" and owned primarily by the wealthy. The common sable ferret was referred to as a "kitchen ferret" and treated more as a tool than a companion. Someone mentioned the term "FYZNYG" (only spelled differently). This is an Olde English term and was usually applied only to working animals. "Business" was used to describe breeding or show animals and the term evolved later. Some think it is a commentary on the frenetic "busy-ness" common to all ferrets. BTW: we refer to our group as a Fyznyg because they are definately working animals. They put on shows and travel to help educate. I tell people that they are professional ferrets because that's how they earn their livlihood. It is very likely that the first domestic animal introduced to America by the Europeans was a ferret. This is because it was quite common on long sea voyages to take along one or more ferrets as opposed to cats. Ferrets are smaller, lower maintenance, and much better mousers because they can follow the critters into places a cat cannot. Such a part of maritime tradition is the ferret that it was the mascot of the Continental navy during the American Revolution. Another notable ferret owner was Theodore Rosevelt who is said to have kept two ferrets and a young kangaroo while in the White House. These animals were aquired from a local humane society. Just a quick note on NYC. There is no law or ordinance on the books in NYC which prohibits the keeping of ferrets. The so called "ban" is due to one individual's interpretation of a rule which prohibits wild or dangerous animals. This does not mean that NYC officials won't act as if ferrets were illegal. But in the interest of accuracy it should be said that NYC is a FUFZ (Ferret Unfriendly Zone) and not a FFZ. [Posted in FML issue 1416]