142 PROCEEDINGS OF THE 



SO abundant in Sutherlandshire as the last. It frequents peat- 

 stacks, out-houses, etc., and does not go so far up the hills as the 

 Stoat. 



YELLOW-BREASTED MARTIN. 



MARTES ABIETUM, FUminrj. 



This very beautiful animal is still far from uncommon in the 

 birch woods which adorn the shores of some of the Sutherland- 

 shire lochs, and the late Mr St. John mentions his having 

 frequently shot it with a rifle on tall pine trees — probably at 

 Rosehall. We examined the skins of twelve, all killed by one 

 keeper in the Assynt district in the winter of 1868-9. The 

 keepers receive a reward, of 2s 6d per head, and the skins are 

 worth from seven to ten shillings. 



Ohs. Mr Selby appears to have been doubtful as to the identity 

 of the Sutherlandshire Marten, entering it in his list as "ilf. 

 fagorum aut aUetum." We have not only never met with the 

 white-breasted species (M. foina) in Sutherlandshire, but have 

 never ourselves seen a single authentic British-killed specimen. 



WILD CAT. 



FELIS CATUS, Linnaeus. 



The formidable-looking Wild Cat is not unfrequent in Suther- 

 landshire in suitable places. In its choice of a home it much 

 resembles the Marten, principally frequenting the birch woods, 

 but sometimes it takes up its abode in cairns of stones, or amongst 

 loose rocks on the open hill side. Now and then it is driven by 

 hunger to approach human dwellings, where it works sad havoc 

 among the poultry, etc.; a few winters ago two were caught in 

 the garden of a farm-house in Assynt, but such occurrences are 

 very uncommon. Usually the Wild Cat will not turn on a man 

 or dog, unless when disturbed with its young, or when hard 

 pressed at a distance from any safe retreat. In such a case, how- 

 ever, it is by no means a contemptible enemy. Mr St. John, in 

 his " Wild Sports," relates that when fishing in Sutherlandshire, 

 accompanied by three terriers, he started a Wild Cat, wliich the 

 dogs brought to bay amongst some rocks; having cut a stout 

 cudgel, he was proceeding to dislodge her, when she sprang full 



