17 



AN OUTLINE OF THE BRITISH MUSTELADiE. 



BY SHIRLEY PALMER, M. D. 



The genus Mustela, of Linnaeus, comprehending the Otters, the 

 Martens, and Weasels, has, by modern zoological writers, been 

 converted into a family, under the title of Mustelad^e. From 

 this, the Lutra, or Otter genus, which exhibits very wide dif- 

 ferences of structure and economy, has been very properly 

 excluded. The family, therefore, as now constituted, includes 

 only two British genera, Mustela and Martes. Of the five 

 British species belonging to these genera, I propose to trace such 

 an outline, as may direct, and stimulate to further investigation, 

 the student in zoology. To the specific descriptions will be 

 appended such notices of the haunts and habits of the respective 

 animals, as I may be enabled to supply from personal observa- 

 tion and experience. The best and most accessible sources of 

 literary and iconographical''^ information will also be duly cited. 

 The distinguishing characters of the Musteladw are : Body long, 

 about the thickness of the head. Legs short : toes five, sepa- 



and blows, and inured to the severest labour, hardships, and privations. Shakspeare 

 conveyed his exalted opinion of the sex in the following sentence — 



" When the women of Rome were chaste, the men were heroes." 



The sentiment shows he was fully sensible of the reciprocal moral influence, which the 

 sexes exercise on each other ; and that the noble example of woman moulds the highest 

 character of man. After the swarm of barbarians had subverted the Roman empire, the 

 worse than Egyptian darkness, which overspread the intellectual world for centuries, was 

 gradually dispelled by this reciprocal influence. The first light of civilization, which 

 slowly followed this long barbarism, dawned from the eyes of Beauty. The spirit of 

 chivalry imbibed, from the pure mind of this fair and lovely Being, an abhorrence of the 

 violence, plunder, and bloodshed, which, every where, rendered life and property insecure. 

 Under this slow and happy melioration, the elements of social harmony gradually re- 

 appeared. The orders of Knight Errantry were instituted, in consequence of the preceding 

 change, and the Troubadours kept alive the generous enthusiasm. The songs of love and 

 heroism fired the youth of the time, with a high sense of valour, justice, and moral virtue. 

 To woman, then, we owe the softened manners and romantic character of the middle ages. 

 To her influence, also, we may justly add, we are very largely indebted for the high state 

 of our present refined civilization. This is not the language of a young enthusiast, but 

 of one, who, having lived nearly three quarters of a century, read the world as a library 

 and human nature as a book, derived the brightest sunshine of life from one inestimable 

 woman, his lamented "better half;" and may be considered to speak the honest conviction 

 of no very limited experience. j, 



* This is a new and most convenient term introduced into science, from the 

 Greek, by French writers. I, therefore, transcribe from the manuscript of my 

 *' Dictionary of Terms" no\v in progress of publication, and of which honourable 

 mention has already been made in " The Analyst," the article illustrative of its 

 etymology and meaning : — 



"IcoNOGRAPHiE, s. f., — Jixovofypa^tflt («<xovo7/)«^«W; to represent by pictures), — 

 iconographia, f. L.,— bilderbeschreibung, F. G.,— iconography : the art of 

 representing objects by pictures, or engravings. Iconoguaphique, adj., — 

 uxofoypa^or, — iconographicus, — bilderbeschreibend, — iconographic, iconographi- 

 cal : pertaining to Iconography. See the exquisite Iconographic du Rdgne 

 Animal, of Baron Cuvier, by Guerin, of Paris." 



February. — vol. ii. no. vii. d 



