FUR ANIMALS. 447 



ly all the mountain ranges of the West, and is quite com- 

 mon in many places. Though called a fisher, it is not 

 aquatic in habits, but is thoroughly arboreous, its favorite 

 haunts being the dense and damp woods adjoining water, 

 and in this it differs from the marten, which prefers the 

 driest parts of the forests of evergreens. It receives its 

 name from the fact that it destroys fish found in traps, but 

 it never angles for itself, as the mink does, and it seems to 

 prefer meat to fish. It travels much at night in search of 

 its prey, which includes everything from field-mice to squir- 

 rels ; and as it fights fiercely, it is often able to kill animals 

 larger than itself. Its length varies from twenty-four to 

 forty inches, excluding the tail, which ranges from twelve 

 to twenty inches, and its weight sometimes reaches from 

 fourteen to eighteen pounds, so that it ranks next to the 

 glutton in size. It is very destructive to marten traps, be- 

 ing almost as bad as the wolverene, and this causes hunters 

 to execrate its presence, unless it gets trapped itself an 

 event which does not occur as often as they wish ; for, be- 

 ing strong and plucky, it can tumble down dead-falls, and 

 even get away ^vith a steel-trap unless it is w T ell fastened 

 with an iron chain. Its skin is valued at from one to two 

 dollars in the West, but it brings much more than that 

 sum in the market. It is highly prized by some of the In- 

 dian tribes for making arrow quivers, as it is showy, long, 

 and durable. The fisher has from two to four young ones 

 at a time, and they are brought forth in the hollow part of 

 a tree. 



The American sable, or pine marten (Mustela ameri- 

 cana), is abundant where settlements are scarce, as it is 

 very prolific, its family generally numbering six or eight 

 at a time. It is well able to live in its forest home, for, 

 though not so insatiably blood-thirsty as the weasel, yet it 

 is exceedingly destructive to birds and small mammals, so 

 that it manages to secure plenty of pabulum at all times. 



An adult male has a length of about eighteen inches, ex- 

 cluding the bushy tail, which is about ten or twelve. Its 

 fur, which is in the best condition from November to April, 



