OF WEESELS IN GENERAL. 159 



more on their mouth than their claws; and when 

 once their hold is firmly fixed, it is no easy matter 

 for an animal, even of tolerable size and strength, 

 to escape from their gripe. 



The females produce from three to ten young 

 ones at a birth; and some of them Ijtter more than 

 once in the year. 



The furs of nearly all the species, are useful in a 

 commercial view. 



THE COMMON OR WHITE-BREASTED MARTIN*. 



MARTERN CAT. SWEET MART. MARTLET. 



ALL the motions of this elegant and interesting 

 animal are marked by grace and agility. Its body is 

 surprisingly flexile; and, in its progress upon the 



ground, 



* P'iverra, foina. Skaw. Mustelafoina. Linnaeus. Lafowne. 

 Buffon. 

 For the description of this animal see the Synopsis, p. 26, No. 12. 



The Common and the Pine Martin so nearly resemble each other, 

 both in their external appearance and internal conformation, that 

 many writers have considered them as merely varieties of the sam 



speciesv 



