902 



Life-histories of Northern Animals 



In addition to the generic characters, the Marten has: 

 Length, about 25 inches (635 mm.); tail, 8 inches (203 mm.); 

 hind-foot, 3I inches (95 mm.). (For skull, see Plate LXXXI, 

 facing p. 968.) 



In general it is of a rich dark yellowish-brown, shaded 

 into blackish on the tail and legs, and into gray on the head, 

 with ear linings of dull whitish, and a large irregular patch of 

 pale buff or orange on the throat and breast. But the general 

 colour ranges in any given locality from golden-yellow to 

 blackish-umber, and the patch on the throat from orange to 

 white. The claws are white. 



When seen in the trees it gives the impression of a large 

 dark Squirrel, with white ears and a yellow throat; when on the 

 ground it looks like a dark-coloured young Fox. 



The following races are recognized: 



americana Turton, the typical form. 



abieticola Preble, which differs from americana 



chiefly in being much larger and in having 



heavier teeth. 

 abtetinoides Gray, a dark-brown race. 

 hrumalis Bangs, a large dark race. 

 actuosa Osgood, a large gray race. 

 kenaiensis Elliot, a small pale race without throat 



patch. 



Life-history. 



IN MANI- 

 TOBA 



In one form or another the species ranges from ocean to 

 ocean wherever there are heavy pine or fir forests, in the 

 Canadian and Pacific Faunas, and northward. 



Its range in Manitoba broadly coincides with the unbroken 

 coniferous forests. 



ENVIRON- This is one of the few species that really prefer the glooms 

 ^^■r of firs. It will not rest in broken woods, it shuns the border- 



