CAPTURE OF ANIMALS. 25 



which emits a very strong odor. A few drops of this oil on 

 the bait, or even on a stick without bait, will draw Mink very 

 effectually. 



The chain of the trap should be fastened to a spring-pole, 

 strong enough to lift the animal, when caught, out of the 

 reach of the fisher, fox, and other depredators ; or if the trap 

 is set near deep water, it may be attached to a sliding-pole, 

 which will secure the game by drowning it. Both of these 

 devices are fully described on pages 17 and 18. 



THE MARTEN. 



The Marten is found on this Continent from about north 

 latitude forty degrees to the northern limits of the woods, or 

 about sixty-eight degrees. On the Eastern Continent they in- 

 habit all the North of Europe and Asia, except the treeless 

 districts of the cold regions. The principal species are, the 

 Pine Marten, which inhabits both continents, the Beech or 

 Stone Marten of Europe, the Sable of Russia and Nortliern 

 Asia, and the Japanese Sable. Naturalists class tlie fisher, 

 also, with the Martens. The Russian Sable is the finest and 

 most valuable of all the Martens. The Hudson's Bay and 

 Lake Superior Martens are next in value. Those from Hud- 

 son's Bay, though really a variety of the American Pine 

 Marten, are commonly called Hudson's Bay Sables, and their 

 fur is known by that name in the markets of Europe. 



The Marten belongs to the weasel family, and is carnivo- 

 rous. It is about as large as the mink, and differs but little 

 from the latter in form, save that its feet are larger and hairy 

 to the toes, and its tail is somewhat larger and of a dark brown 

 or black color. The fur of the American Pine Marten is gen- 

 erally of a yellowish brown, but varies greatly in color accord- 

 ing to season, latitude, and locality. The Hudson's Bay and 

 Lake Superior Mai'tens are very dark-colored. Tiie favorite 

 haunts of these animals are the thick dark woods of the cold 

 snowy regions. They are strictly arboreal in their habitat. 

 They generally live in hollow trees, but occasionally they ex- 

 cavate dens in the ground. They feed on rabbits, birds, 

 squirrels, mice, and other small animals ; are fond of beech- 



