582 CARNIVORA 



pets of, not having the strong unpleasant odour of the smaller 

 Muxtelidce. The common European Marten appears to have been 

 partially domesticated by the Greeks and Romans, and to have 

 been used to keep houses clear from rats and mice before cats were 

 introduced. 1 In the same way, according to Hodgson, the Yellow- 

 bellied Weasel (M. cathia) " is exceedingly prized by the Nipalese 

 for its service in ridding houses of rats. It is easily tamed ; and 

 such is the dread of it common to all Murine animals that not one 

 will approach a house where it is domiciled." It is, however, to 

 the great value attached to the pelts of these animals that their 

 importance to man is chiefly due. Though all yield fur of 

 serviceable quality, the commercial value varies immensely, not 

 only according to the particular species from which it is obtained, 

 but according to individual variation, depending upon age, sex, 

 season, and other trifling circumstances. The skins from northern 

 regions are more full and of a finer colour and gloss than those 

 from more temperate climates, as are those of animals killed in 

 winter compared with the same individuals in the summer season. 

 The caprices of fashion have, moreover, set wholly factitious values 

 upon slight shades of colour, recognised and named by experienced 

 furriers, but not indicating any specific or other distinctions of 

 which zoologists have any cognisance. Enormous numbers of 

 animals are annually caught, chiefly in traps, to supply the demand 

 of the fur trade, Siberia and North America being the principal 

 localities from which they are obtained. 



With the exception of the Pekan (M. pennanti) all the Martens 

 are so much alike in size, general colouring, and cranial and dental 

 characters that the discrimination of the species, and assignment of 

 the proper geographical distribution to each, has been a subject 

 which has sorely perplexed the ingenuity and patience of zoologists. 

 The following description by Dr. Elliott Coues of the external 

 characters of the American Pine Marten (M. americana) will apply 

 almost equally well to most of the others : " It is almost impossible 

 to describe the colour of the Pine Marten, except in general terms, 

 without going into the details of the endless diversities occasioned 

 by age, sex, season, or other incidents. The animal is ' brown,' of 

 various shades from orange or tawny to quite blackish ; the tail and 

 feet are ordinarily the darkest, the head lightest, often quite whitish ; 

 the ears are usually rimmed with whitish ; on the throat there is 

 usually a large tawny-yellowish or orange-brown patch, from the 

 chin to the fore legs, sometimes entire, sometimes broken into a 

 number of smaller, irregular blotches, sometimes wanting, some- 

 times prolonged on the whole under surface, when the animal is 



1 See Rolleston, "On the Domestic Cats, Fclis domesticus and Mustela foina, 

 of Ancient and Modern Times," Journal of Anatomy and Physiology, vol. ii. p. 

 47, 1868. 



