Flesh-Eating Land Mammals 



in some hole in the ground, or in a wall or cavity about 

 a tree-root. Here two or three litters may be seen in 

 a season, with five to eight young to each nest. In 

 the wilds of the shires there is no animal that will 

 defend or protect its offspring so valiantly as a 

 Weasel — despite the fact that its own life is practically 

 given over to the invasion of the hearths of other 

 animals. Nature, in the case of the Weasel, works in 

 a mysterious way. 



The Pine Marten is a woodland rover, living 

 amongst the branches of the fir-trees. As a rule one 

 usually hears the animal spoken of simply as the 

 Marten, but in some districts of Scotland it is referred 

 to as the Marten- Cat. The latter title seems to 

 indicate that the rustic mind had classed the Pine 

 Marten along with the Polecat and Wild Cat, just 

 in the same way as fieldfares, redwings, and mistle- 

 thrushes are designated " hill-birds " in many districts 

 of Scotland. 



At the present day the Pine Marten is a rarer animal 

 than either of those named. It may be said, however, 

 to be more widely distributed, owing doubtless to the 

 fact that it is a less conspicuous animal, and from its 

 mode of life is less likely to be detected. Its 

 wandering movements also, in a sense, guard it from 

 observation. 



As in the case of the Wild Cat, the capture of a 

 Pine Marten is usually recorded in the daily Press, 



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