C. J.
Mousehunt (Vol. viii., p. 516.).—
"A Mousehunt is a little animal of the species of weasel; it has a very slender body, about the length of a rat, with a long hairy tail, bushy at the end; the back is of a reddish-brown colour, the hair long and smooth; the belly is white, as are also its feet; it runs very swiftly, swaying its body as it moves along from side to side. The head is short and narrow, with small ears, like those of a rat; the eyes are black, piercing, and very bright. Their chief food is rats, mice, young chickens, little birds, and eggs. They frequent mole-hills, and are often caught in the traps set for the moles; they are destroyed by ferrets and dogs. These mousehunts live, for the most part, in holes beneath the roots of trees, or in old buildings."
The above description of the Mousehunt is given in The History of a Field-mouse by Miss Black. Should it be thought of sufficient authority to deserve a place in "N. & Q.," the coincidence which led "Little Downy" to be read to a little girl on the morning of Nov. 26 will amuse.
E. B. R.
"Salus populi," &c. (Vol. viii., p. 410.).—Selden, in his Table Talk (art. People), states, on what authority I know not, that this was part of the law of XII Tables.
E. S. T. T.
Love Charm from a Foal's Forehead (Vol. viii., p. 292.).—The word which H. P. wants is Hippomanes. The reference which the Lexicons give is to Aristotle's History of Animals, viii. 23. 5.
I shall be glad to have some of H. P.'s references to Tacitus, as I cannot now call one to mind. In connexion with the subject, I should like to know if the white star, which used to be so fashionable on horses' foreheads, was always or generally produced artificially.
W. Fraser.