20 FOXHUNTING ON LAKELAND FELLS 



Whilst the fox is our premier beast of chase in 

 Lakeland, the hare is also hunted, and deer provide 

 sport in the country adjoining the fells. In the 

 old days, however, there were two other animals, 

 now very rare, i.e. the polecat and the pine- 

 marten, which were a recognised quarry for 

 hounds. 



To-day, as far as I can gather, the polecat, 

 or foumart, is extinct in Lakeland. The pine- 

 marten, or " sweet mart," to distinguish it 

 from its evil-smelling relation, the foumart or 

 " foul mart," still lingers on some of the wilder 

 feUs. 



The pine-marten is a tree dweUer by nature, but 

 on the f eUs it has its haunt amongst the crags and 

 rocks. Hounds deUght in the scent of a " mart," 

 and in bygone days some very good runs took 

 place. The pine-marten, unhke the fox, is very 

 easy to bolt from an earth, owing to its intense 

 dishke of smoke. Directly the first whiff of burn- 

 ing grass or bracken reaches it, it at once takes to 

 the open. The last pine-marten I have seen in the 

 flesh, was a young marten kitten which I was 

 instrumental in securing in 1915. It became the 

 property of a weU-known lady naturahst, who 

 reared it successfully, and it proved a charming 

 pet. 



Although, as far as I am aware, extinct in 

 Lakeland, the polecat is still fairly plentiful in 



