Notes on the Marten (Martes sylvatica) in Ulster. 107 



neighbourhood of Donard Lodge, Co. Down, "had fourteen 

 out of twenty-one lambs killed in one night, and the des- 

 troyers contented themselves with sucking the blood of their 

 victims. On the following night the remaining seven were 

 treated in a similar manner, and a couple of Martens were seen 

 taking their departure from the scene of devastation." They 

 were traced, and were found to have taken up their abode in 

 a deserted Magpie's nest in Tollymore Park. In 1 881, as I am 

 informed by Mr. Ussher, a mother and two big young Martens 

 were killed at Oaklands, Co. Wexford. There had been a 

 destruction of lambs in the vicinity which was attributed to 

 Stoats, but the bites in the necks were larger than those made 

 by the latter animal. We need not therefore be surprised that 

 the Marten is becoming rare, in Ulster at all events. In the 

 following brief notes on its occurrences in our province, I begin 

 on that foundation-stone of most branches of Irish Zoology — 

 Thompson's " Natural History of Ireland." I have to thank 

 many landlords and game-keepers for information cheerfully 

 given, and I have especially to thank Mr. Sheals, of Corpor- 

 ation-street, Belfast, for valuable records taken from his books. 

 I give the counties in alphabetical order. 



Co. Antrim. — Thompson mentions the following localities where the 

 Marten has occurred : — Glenarm Park, Glenariffe, Shane's Castle Park, 

 vicinity of Larne, Tullamore Lodge, Castle Dobbs, and Malone House, 

 within four miles of Belfast. At the latter place, he says, a pair of 

 Martens were discovered in possession of a Magpie's nest ; similar cases 

 occurred in Tollymore Park and Belvoir Park, Co. Down. In the Belfast 

 Museum the only Ulster specimen we had until quite lately is labelled 

 "Toome Bridge, Co. Antrim, May, 1851." About forty years ago one 

 was trapped at Garron Tower. In 1866 two were trapped in Glenarm 

 Deer-park, as I am informed by Lord Antrim. In 187 1 one was taken at 

 Shane's Castle, and another in 1884 at Glenarm — a very fine specimen, 

 weighing 5 lbs. Then comes an interval of nine years, during which I 

 have no records from Co. Antrim, until last year— 1893 — when three 

 specimens were taken— one in Glenarm Park in February, one in March 

 at Portglenone, and one in May at Templepatrick. Mr. Montgomery, of 

 Benvarden, Dervock, informs me that one of his game-keepers saw last 

 spring an animal which, from his description, seems to have been a 

 Marten, and as Portglenone is only about 12 miles distant, this was 

 probably the one trapped in March. Lord Templetown's game-keeper 

 informs me their specimen was the first seen there for over 45 years. 



Co. Armagh.— Lord Gosford's demesne, Churchhill, and Tanderagee 

 are given by Thompson. Sir Wm. Lenox-Conyngham writes me that 

 one was caught at Churchhill about 25 years ago, and the specimen is 



