MARTENS, POLECATS, AND WEASELS. I07 



he "Proceedings" of the Zoological Society for 1869, that the 

 Beech- Marten is not tound within our limits. 



The Marten has the body of moderate elongation and slen- 

 lerness, and the tail relatively long ; the head being somewhat 

 riangular in form, with the muzzle pointed, the eyes prominent, 

 .nd the ears large and rounded. The body is covered, during 

 he winter at least, with fur of two kinds, the outer fur being 

 'ery long, glossy, and ash-coloured at the base, with some shade 

 »f brown at the tip, but varying m intensity on the different 

 egions of the body, the middle of the back, the tail, and the 

 mter surfaces of the limbs being darker than elsewhere. The 

 hroat and chest are yellow, and the remainder of the under- 

 )arts are greyish ; while the edges and insides of the ears are 

 whitish. The under-fur is yellowish-grey. The length of the 

 lead and body is about 18 inches; and that of the tail, inclu- 

 ive of the hair at the tip, about 13 inches. 



Distribution. — The range of the Pine-, or, as it is sometimes 

 called, the Yellow-throated, Marten includes the whole of Nor- 

 hern Europe; but it is replaced in North-eastern Asia by the 

 ;losely-allied Sable {M. zibellina)^ in which the fur is still longer 

 ind silkier, and consequently of greater value. On the other 

 land, the Beech-Marten occurs throughout the greater part of 

 j)urope, although not in the extreme north, and ranges east- 

 vards into Western Asia, where it extends probably through- 

 )ut a large portion of the higher Himalaya. 

 I Occurring in a fossil state in the Norfolk forest-bed, as well 

 jiS in the caves of Bleadon, Long Hole, Ravenscliff, and Sprit- 

 lail Tor in England, and in that of Shandon in Ireland, the 

 ?ine-Marten was probably at one time a common animal 

 hroughout the forest-clad districts of the country. It has, 

 lowever, now practically disappeared from the greater part of 

 I he southern and midland districts of England, although occa- 

 j.ional stray examples are now and then met with. Even, 



