Ground Vermin The Pine Marten. 253 



known in many districts where it doubtless occurs. As its 



name implies, it is a tree-loving animal and of wonderful 



agility, being able to pass with silence and speed from 



bough to bough ; obviously, then, its chief depredations 



would be carried on amongst birds' nests which it would 



rifle of the eggs or young as the case might be. 



Squirrels, too, find at all times a deadly enemy in the pine 



marten, often losing their lives to the superior cunning 



and silent approach with which the pine marten is 



endowed ; not only so, but the new and complete nest of 



a squirrel is one of the most favoured retreats of these 



agile creatures. Poultry, too, often suffer sadly from the 



pine marten when it occasionally determines upon a raid, 



and rarely indeed do any of the inhabitants of a poultry 



house to which a pair have obtained entrance find it in 



their power to elude the vigilance of these marauders. 



Indeed, such are the bloodthirsty indulgences of these 



rare but comely little poachers that an instance is recorded 



(" reliable," of course) where two were known to kill 



and suck the blood of no less than twenty-one lambs ! 



Such instances of marten ferocity are, however, now no 



longer heard of ; and even if they do occur in the wilder 



highlands of our kingdom, there are but scant means of 



recording their occurrence. While in its nature it is not 



quite so destructive to game and poultry as the polecat 



or stoat, the pine marten mostly selects for its food 



young rabbits and hares just old enough to have 



commenced taking part care of themselves, It rarely, 



however, prefers full grown ones; but among young game 



of all sorts, either partridge, pheasant, grouse, or black 



