Mme. J. Power on the Habits of the common Marten. 419 



vent them from springing at the face of these people. This did 

 not happen with pex'sons of my acquaintance, whose costume dif- 

 fered from that of the class of people for whom they had such a 

 dishke; they ran before these, testifying by caresses, cries of 

 hi, hi, hi, and leaps, the pleasure which they experienced in see- 

 ing them again. I cannot compare these amicable demonstra- 

 tions to anything better than those of a dog towards those 

 whom he knows to be friends of the family. 



They often went into the kitchen, and one day they carried 

 oflf a fillet of beef; after eating a piece of it, they hid the re- 

 mainder under my bed. I was informed of this robbery, and 

 thought it necessary to watch my IMartens. I soon perceived 

 that they went frequently under my bed. I gave orders for an 

 inspection in this direction, but they soon saw that the booty 

 whicli they had deposited there was about to be taken from them, 

 and began to show signs of discontent and irritation towards tlie 

 servant. I was obliged to interfere, with all my authority, and 

 armed with the stick, in order to prevent them from biting the 

 person to whom I had given orders to carry off their prey, that 

 is to say, the remainder of the fillet of beef. 



I was not long in showing them the means of cleanliness, and 

 for this purpose I frequently took them into the kitchen. If this 

 room happened to be closed, they got the door opened by signs, 

 and then went of their own accord into a corner, where I had 

 from the first caused some sand to be placed and renewed 

 daily. 



It is customary in Sicily to take the air upon the balconies of 

 the houses : when I did this, my Martens followed me, and 

 mounted upon the balustrade of the balcony, or upon my 

 shoulders, to look into the street. When they perceived any 

 of my friends, they had a movement, a manner of recognizing 

 them ; but if a dog came by, they put themselves in a threaten- 

 ing posture ; their hair stood on end, they showed their teeth 

 with contortions of the face, and uttered a slight grunting noise. 

 Frequently I have seen the passengers stop to look at them, and 

 many of these kept their dogs by them in order to prolong a 

 scene which was truly amusing in every respect. From time to 

 time, also, they gave chase to the cats ; and there was not one 

 of these animals that ventured to approach my house. 



A still more extraordinary fact is the following. The Martens 

 often remained alone upon the balcony, when, if they happened 

 to notice one of my friends, they came into the room, and by 

 means of repeated and unequivocal signs, made me follow them 

 to the balcony ; but if they saw that the person turned the cor- 

 ner of the street, they ran to a window which opened above the 

 gate of our court-yard, where they watched and waited for my 



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