NATURAL HISTORY. 233 



JTerior to other animals. It does not dig its own ha- 

 'bitation, but fixes its residence in the first hole that 

 offers, under the root of the willow or poplar-tree, in 

 the clefts of rocks, and even among piles of floating 

 wood ; and there the female brings forth her young : 

 it, however, frequently changes its residence ; and 

 disperses its young ones at the end of six weeks, or 

 two months. 



THE MARTIN. 



THE generality of naturalists have considered the 

 martin and the pine-weasel as animals of the same 

 species : they are, however, different both in disposi- 

 tion and temperament : the pine-weasel shuns open 

 countries, confines itself to the bosom of the forest, 

 fixes its residence upon some tree, and is never found 

 in great numbers but in cold climates : the martin, on 

 the other hand, not only approaches human habitations 

 but even forms a residence for itself in old buildings, in 

 hay-lofts, or in holes of walls : and while the species 

 is generally diffused in great numbers over the temper- 



Vol. I. F f 



