MUSTELID^E 



583 



bicolor like a Stoat in summer. The general ' brown ' has a grayish 

 cast, as far as the under fur is concerned, and is overlaid with rich 

 lustrous blackish-brown in places where the long bristly hairs prevail. 

 The claws are whitish ; the naked nose pad and whiskers are black. 

 The tail occasionally shows interspersed white hairs, or a white tip." 



The species generally recognised as distinct are the following, the 

 first five belonging to the Old and the last two to the New World : 



M. foina, the Beech Marten, Stone Marten, or White-breasted 

 Marten. Distinguished from the following by the greater breadth 

 of the skull, and some minute but constant dental characters, by 



FIG. 267. The Pine Marten (Mustela martes). 



the dull grayish-brown colour of the fur of the upper parts, and 

 the pure white of the throat and breast. It inhabits the greater 

 part of the continent of Europe, but is more southern than the 

 next in its distribution, not being found in Sweden or Norway, 

 nor, according to the investigations of Mr. Alston, in the British 

 Isles, although included in their fauna by all earlier writers ; to 

 the eastward it ranges into Afghanistan and the Himalaya. 



M. martes, the Pine Marten (Fig. 267). Outer fur rich dark 

 brown ; under fur reddish-gray, with clear yellow tips ; breast spot 

 usually yellow, varying from bright orange to pale cream-colour or 

 yellowish- white. Length of head and body 16 to 18 inches ; of 

 tail (including the hair) 9 to 12 inches. This species is extensively 

 distributed throughout northern Europe and Asia, and was formerly 



