FOXES FOXHOUNDS & FOX-HUNTING 



happening to pass near the same spot, he found 

 the tail of a marten — quite fresh — lying on the 

 ground. Quick as a marten is, a fox can easily 

 outstrip him on open ground ; and seeing that 

 reynard will kill both cats and weasels there is 

 every reason to suppose that he would do the 

 same with marts when opportunity offered. In 

 the woodlands a marten can seek refuge in the 

 timber, but when foraging at night on the open 

 fells it would be at the mercy of any fox which 

 chanced to strike its line and follow it up. 



The famous sable is of course a marten. In 

 the forests of Northern Europe and America where 

 the stoats, hares, etc., turn white in winter, the 

 marten retains its dark brown coat. Living 

 amongst the branches of the evergreen firs it there 

 harmonises perfectly with its surroundings and 

 has no necessity to change the colour of its pelage. 

 Although the pine marten has a personal odour 

 of its own, it cannot emit a horrible stench like 

 the polecat does when alarmed. Martens thrive 

 in captivity, and become very tame. A friend 

 of the writer's kept one for four years, during 

 which period it was perfectly healthy and well. 

 At the end of that time, however, it suddenly 

 exhibited a curious penchant for biting its own 

 tail. Despite all that could be done for it, it 

 practically ate its brush entirely away, and then 

 " turned up its toes." To all appearance it was 

 in perfect health, and it is hard to discover a 

 reason for its strange behaviour, unless over 

 feeding had something to do with it. 



Martens are inimical to game, for their agility 

 on the ground coupled with their climbing powers 

 enables them to account for both furred and 

 feathered creatures. In woodland districts the 

 increase of game preservation naturally reduced 



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