Flesh- Eating Land Mammals 



The Pine Marten, lying outstretched upon a fir-tree 

 branch, may be passed unnoticed by the casual way- 

 farer, so well does the creature's outline blend with the 

 rough red bark. Even the sitting Wood Pigeon, 

 incubating her white-shelled eggs on her little platform 

 of twigs, is usually quite unconscious of the Marten's 

 presence, until it feels the sharp claws rivet her to 

 her nest. The Kestrel Hawk, that hunts the fields 

 for wandering mice, finds in turn that Nature has 

 fashioned the Pine Marten as its enemy. Nesting in 

 the deepest recesses of the woods, the Kestrel returns to 

 sit sullenly by the hearth where its youngsters dream 

 the hours away. Like a red glint of sunshine, the 

 Pine Marten springs from its aerial lair, slays the 

 parent Kestrel, and callously lays waste the homestead 

 in the trees. In the spring-time, before the Hooded 

 Crow has laid its clutch, the Pine Marten sees the 

 Squirrel digging amongst the dead leaves of the 

 forest. The hunter draws its lithe form along in the 

 shelter of the pine-needles, and patiently waits the 

 Squirrel's return. Carrying a nut, the latter ascends 

 the bole, and nestles in the forking branch to dine. 

 The hunter has its teeth in its neck before its victim 

 tastes the kernel. Such is forest law. 



This creature's own home is often within the nest 

 of a Hooded Crow, Magpie, or Squirrel that it has 

 ejected or devoured. Sometimes it will settle in a 

 hollow tree-trunk, or in some rocky crevice of an 

 inland cliff. In such places it generally rears two 



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