52 



MA]MMALS. 



Food. 



Essentially, for all its partly webbed feet, a tree-haunt- 

 ing species, the marten feeds almost entirely, 

 save for an occasional relapse to such humble 

 fare as wild honey, on birds and squirrels, which it pur- 

 sues among the 

 branches. Though 

 it is known to de- 

 scend periodically 

 to the ground to 

 vary its diet with 

 game and rabbits, 

 there is reason to 

 believe that its 

 offences in this 

 direction are ex- 

 aggerated. 

 Like all its tribe, it can get over the ground very rapidly, 

 advancing with sidelong leaps. 



More than one litter is brought forth in the year, the 

 first, numbering three or four, appearing some 

 time in April, in an old squirrel's drey appro- 

 priated for the purpose. 



The brown fur is long and glossy, the ears round and 



hairy. The underparts are of yellowish hue, and there is a 



conspicuous patch of the same on the throat. 



^^^'Tc''°''^' "^^^^ ^^^^^^ becomes deepest on the tail, which 

 terminates in a brush. This species lacks the 

 offensive odour of some of its relatives. 



[The Beech, or Stone, Marten never existed in these 

 islands, save in books and menageries.] 



Breeding. 



The Polecat is the largest and the worst smelling of our 



weasels, the scent being secreted in an anal pouch, and at 



Polecat or o^^ce impregnating everything with which it 



Foumart, comes in contact. The foumart (foul marten), 



as it is therefore appropriately called in the North Country, 



is of somewhat restricted distribution, it having become 



