THE CARNIVORA. 51 



subject is one that requires considerable investigation before 

 the extent of their breeding can be satisfactorily estimated. 

 The cubs remain blind for some days after birth. 



Little need be added as to the appearance of so familiar 

 an animal. Few creatures alter their appearance more 



under different conditions. The lithe, snake- 

 A PP e ance, like body gives, when seen sneaking away 



along the ground, a very different impression 

 from its appearance when flying before the hounds, where 

 the observer can appreciate the use of the slender legs and 

 the steering power of the bushy tail, which has sometimes 

 a conspicuous white tip. Unlike the larger grey fox of the 

 Highlands, our race is of an almost uniform reddish hue 

 with variable grey markings, underparts white, as also the 

 extremity of the tail, some black on the head and legs. The 

 pointed muzzle, oblique eyes with elliptical pupils, and 

 tapering ears, always erect, are all sufficiently familiar fea- 

 tures. The characteristic scent 1 is secreted in a gland be- 

 neath the tail. The white "tag" is no indication of sex. 



3. THE MARTEN AND ITS ALLIES. 



The Pine Marten, another of our rapidly diminishing 



beasts, is still known to breed in the Peak country and in 



Pine parts of Wales, and one was said to have been 



Marten, obtained in Leicestershire as recently as last 



year. It also holds its own in a few wild parts of the 



Highlands, and was seen in Argyllshire last year, though 



of late years it has sensibly diminished, and 



has disappeared altogether from some of the 



islands where it was formerly not uncommon. 



In parts of Ireland, especially in Kilkenny, the "marten 



cat " is not scarce. 



1 Lord Coventry, in the course of his article on Fox-hunting in the 

 'Encyclopaedia of Sport,' points out an interesting fact known to 

 hunting-men, and that is, that the scent is certain to be poor on days 

 when gossamer is observed floating in the air. 



