THE WEASEL KIND. 



335 



There is also a variety of this animal, cal- 

 led the yellow-breasted martin, which in no re- 

 spect diners from the former, except that this 

 has a yellow breast, whereas the other has a 

 white one: the colour of the body also is dark- 

 er ; and, as it lives more among trees than the 

 other martin, its fur is more valuable, beau- 

 tiful, and glossy. The former of these Mr. 

 Buffon calls ihefouine; the latter, simply the 

 martin ; and he supposes them to be a distinct 

 species: but as they differ only in colour, it 

 is unnecessary to embarrass history by a new 

 distinction, where there is only so minute a 

 difference. 



Of all animals of the weasel kind, the mar- 

 tin is the most pleasing; all its motions show 

 great grace, as well as agility ; and there is 

 scarce an animal in our woods that will ven- 

 ture to oppose it. Quadrupeds five times as 

 big are easily vanquished ; the hare, the sheep, 

 and even the wild cat itself, though much 

 stronger, is not a match for the martin : and 

 although carnivorous animals are not fond of 

 engaging each other, yet the wild cat and the 

 martin seldom meet without a combat. Ges- 

 ner tells us of one of this kind that he kept 

 tame, which was extremely playful and pretty; 

 it went among the houses of the neighbour- 

 hood, and always returned home when hun- 

 fry : it was extremely fond of a dog that had 

 een bred up with it, and used to play with 

 it as cats are seen to play, lying on its back, 

 and biting without anger or injury. That 

 which was kept tame by Mr. Buflfbn, was not 

 quite so social : it was divested of its ferocity, 

 but continued without attachment; and vras 

 still so wild as to be obliged to be held N by a 

 chain. Whenever a cat appeared, it prepar- 

 ed for war: and if any of the poultry came 

 within its reach, it flew upon them with avi- 

 dity. Though it was tied by the middle of 

 the body, it frequently escaped : at first it re- 

 turned after some hours, but without seem- 

 ing pleased, as if it only came to be fed; the 

 next time it continued abroad longer; and, 

 at last, went away without ever returning. 

 It was a female, and was, when it went off, a 

 year and a half old ; and Mr. Buffon supposes 

 it to have gone in quest of the male. It ate 

 every thing that was given it. except salad or 

 herbs; and it was remarkably fond of honey. 

 It was remarked, that it drank often, and of- 



ten slept for two days together; and that, in 

 like manner, it was often two or three days 

 without sleeping. Before it went to sleep, it 

 drew itself up into a round, hid its head, and 

 covered it with its tail. When awake it was 

 in continual agitation, and was obliged to be 

 tied up, not less to prevent its attacking the 

 poultry, than to hinder it from breaking what- 

 ever it came near, by the capricious wildness 

 of its motions. 



The yellow-breasted martin is much more 

 common in France than in England ; arid yet 

 even there this variety is much scarcer than 

 that with the white breast. The latter keeps 

 nearer houses and villages to make its petty 

 ravages among the sheep and the poultry; 

 the other keeps in the woods, and leads in 

 every respect a savage life, building its nest 

 on the tops of trees, and living upon such ani- 

 mals as are entirely wild like itself. About 

 night-fall it usually quits its solitude to seek 

 its prey, hunts after squirrels, rats, and rab- 

 bits; destroys great numbers of birds and 

 their young, takes the eggs from the nest, and 

 often removes them to its own without break- 

 ing.* The instant the martin finds itself pur- 

 sued by dogs, for which purpose there is a 

 peculiar breed, that seem fit for this chase only, 

 it immediately makes to its retreat, which is 

 generally in the hollow of some tree, towards 

 the top, and which it is impossible to come at 

 without cutting it down. Their nest is gene- 

 rally the original tenement of the squirrel, 

 which that little animal bestowed great pains 

 in completing; but the martin having killed 

 and dispossessed the little architect, takes 

 possession of it for its own use, enlarges its 

 dimensions, improves the softness of the bed, 

 and in that retreat brings forth its young. Its 

 litter is never above three or four at a time ; 

 they are brought forth with the eyes closed, 

 as in all the rest of this kind, and very soon 

 come to a state of perfection. The dam com- 

 pensates for her own deficiency of milk, by 

 bringing them eggs and live birds, accustom- 

 ing them from the beginning to a life of car- 

 nage and rapine. When she leads them from 

 the nest into the woods, the birds at once dis- 

 tinguish their enemies, and attend them, as 

 we before observed of the fox, with all the 



a Brooke's Natural History. 



