Subtitled “an historical pastoral satirical scientifical romance, with mustelids,” it all fits together beautifully. The gruesome rabbit-poaching opening scene pales in comparison to the historic records of scientific specimen collectors introducing Chapter 4: “W Rothschild - 280,000 bird skins, 1880-1931, etc.” I better understand the mindset of colonists transporting nonnative species & also natural scientists of the 19th c. Excellent story!