58 THE NATURALIST IN NORWAY. 



same writer states that in winter it inserts its snout in 

 the pouch, membranum genitale, under its tail, and Jives 

 without nourishment. The Russians consider the skin 

 of the badger to be valueless, but they think its grease 

 is delicious. There is no accounting for taste in such 

 things. 



The pine marten (Mustela martes) is pretty common 

 in all parts of Norway. It is found in Norwegian Lap- 

 land, and the Lapps ornament their dresses and caps 

 with pieces of the fur. It is rather smaller in size 

 than the common marten, and its skin is more valu- 

 able. Its throat is yellow, while that of the common 

 species is white. 



In Norway the marten is generally to be found in 

 the shady recesses of the forest, where it preys on rats, 

 mice, moles, rabbits, birds, and their eggs. Some- 

 times it eats vegetables and grain. It makes its nest 

 in hollow trees, or in the crevices of rocks, and brings 

 forth from three to five young in the beginning of 

 May. Its Norse name is maar. 



Pontoppidan asserts that there are two species of 

 marten in Norway, viz. the espe-maar, or common 

 kind, and the birke-maar, or birch marten, which is 

 smaller, darker, and more valuable than the first men- 

 tioned. " It keeps itself to hollow trees, and lives on 

 wood-mice or birds, and in pursuit of the latter it 

 climbs trees, and leaps from one branch to another." 



The marten has been kept in confinement, and has, 

 to a certain extent, been tamed, but it could hardly be 

 called a docile pet, although it was reared from the 

 nest. It did not take kindly to the people of the 

 house, and when it was unchained, it not only attacked 

 and killed every cat in the neighbourhood, but it played 



