ZOOLOGICAL NOTES, 145 



in order to hide our ignorance, will not properly apply in this case, though 

 it will to the general act of migration, that being most probably necessary for 

 the preservation of the species; and to enable them always to enjoy a climate 

 best adapted to their allotted mode of life. But there does not appear any 

 assignable reason why, after landing, they may not set about the great business 

 of incubation in one place as well as another," — William Fothergill, Carr 

 End. 



William Fotheugill to Charles Fothergill, 



Books and Pine Martins. — "In a rookery at Deepdale in Craven, Yorkshire, 

 about forty-four years ago, a Fine Martin was shot in the very act of de- 

 vouring young Rooks in the nest; the tree in which the circumstance happened, 

 had at that time, as usual, a great number of nests in it. It is yet standing, 

 in almost the centre of the rookery, and in every respect as likely to have 

 nests as any other tree in the grove; yet from that year to the present, 1812, 

 it has been wholly forsaken, though the Rooks continue to build in the sur- 

 rounding trees. Are Rooks birds of such longevity that some of them are 

 yet in being that remember the fact, and warn their descendants? Or, have 

 they the means of communicating traditions from one generation to another? 

 Or, is it merely accidental?" 



Charles Fothergill to William Fothergill, July 18th., 1812. 



'^^At York, I understood thee to say, that the rookery visited by the Pine 

 Martin was in Langstrath Dale, but now thou mentionest Deepdale in Craven. 

 Didst thou ever observe that Buffon positively says we have no Pine Martins, 

 because we have no woods in England I I remember a very fine specimen 

 being killed in Kexby Woods, near York, that was first in Walker's, and is 

 now in Mr. Haworth's museum, at little Chelsea." 



William Fothergill to Charles Fothergill. 



"Thy recollection was correct that I said, at York, the rookery visited by 

 the Pine Martin was at Langstrath Dale. The fact is, Deepdale is in Lang- 

 strath Dale, nearly opposite to Raydale. I can now tell thee the Pine Martin 

 is no rare animal here. Since I wrote to thee, I was informed that they 

 had, at Raydale, the skins of three Sweet Marts, meaning the Mustela Martis. 

 I took an early opportunity to go and see them, and was much surprised to 

 find them all Pine Martins. They were taken last winter and spring; two 

 were shot in a tree, and one taken in a hollow tree where it had its young. 

 When Henry Pierse, Esq. was in the dale this shooting season, he called 

 upon me as usual, and I told him what curiosities he would find at Raydale. 

 His reply was, ^come and dine with me and you shall have tbem all ;* which 

 I did, but only accepted one of them. Pennant says, 'in Scotland they have 

 only the Pine Martin,' and I now fully believe we have no other sort in 



