THE COMMON MARTIN. 161 



The Martin is sometimes selected by sportsmen 

 for the purpose of instructing young Fox-Hounds 

 to hunt. This animal, by running into the thickest 

 bushes it can find, teaches the hounds to run cover. 

 When closely pursued, it climbs the nearest tree; 

 and its agility is astonishing, for though it fre- 

 quently falls from the tree into the midst of the 

 Hounds, each intent on catching it, yet the in- 

 stances are few indeed of a Martin's having been 

 seized in that situation* 



When caught young, this animal is easily ren- 

 dered tame and docile ; and it then exhibits a great 

 degree of playfulness and good humour* Its smell 

 is not, like that of most of its species, fetid and 

 unpleasant, but partakes in some measure of the 

 odour of musk. This proceeds from a yellow 

 liquor secreted in two glands, the openings of 

 which is situated, one on each side, near the base 

 of the tail. 



Although few or none of the other species, on 

 account of their unpleasant smell, can conveni- 

 ently be permitted to live in habitable apart- 

 ments, the Martin may very well be allowed this 

 indulgence. One of these animals, some years 

 ago, was rendered so tame, that it was suffered to 

 run at liberty about the kitchen of the Bald-faced 

 Stag on Epping Forest*. The attachment of the 



* Daniel's Rural Sports, i. p. 360, 



M Martin 



