104 BULLETIN NO. VII. 
states that ‘‘its favorite food is the Canada porcupine, which 
it kills by biting in the belly.” Other writers have questioned 
the truth of this statement, but it has recently received addi- 
tional verification. Mr. Merriam writes: ‘‘ During a recent 
visit to the north shore of the Gulf of St. Lawrence, I was in- 
formed, both by an agent of the Hudson Bay Company and by 
the trappers themselves, that porcupines constitute a large 
and important element in the food supply of the Pekan. Mr. 
Nap. A. Corneau, of Godbout, who secured for me a large and 
handsome male of this species, tells me that its intestine con- 
tained hundreds of porcupine quills, arranged in clusters, like 
so many packages of needles, throughout its length. In no 
case had a single quill penetrated the mucous lining of the in- 
testine, but they were apparently passing along its interior as 
smoothly and surely as if within a tube of glass or metal. Mr. 
Corneau did not discover a quill in any of the abdominal vis- 
cera, or anywhere in the abdominal cavity, excepting as above 
stated; a great many, however, were found imbedded in the 
muscles of the head, chest, back and legs, and it was remark- 
able that their presence gave rise to no irritation, no products 
of inflammation being found in their vicinity. In examining 
the partially cleaned skeleton of this specimen, I find some of 
the quills in the deep muscles and ligaments about the joints. 
A knee, in particular, shows several in its immediate neighbor 
hood.” 
The nest is made in a hollow tree, generally thirty or forty 
feet from the ground, and two to four young are brought forth 
about the first of May. 
‘“They are agile and muscular animals, jumping from tree to 
tree like a squirrel, clearing a distance of forty feet in a 
descending leap, never failing of a secure grip.”—Corporal 
Lot Warfield, quoted by Merriam. 
Mustela americana TURTON. 
AMERICAN SABLE OR MARTEN. 
Mustela martes FORSTER, SABINE, HARLAN, EMMONS, AUD. and BACHMAN, 
BILLINGS, KENNICOTT, etc. 
Mustela americana TURTON, BAIRD, COUES, etc. 
Martes americana GRAY. 
Mustela zibellina var. americana BRANDT. 
Mustela vulpina RAFINESQUE. 
Mustela leucopus KUHL. 
Mustela huro F. CUVIER. 
