MARTENS, POLECATS, AND WEASELS. IO7 



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

 Beech-Marten is not found within our limits. 



The Marten has the body of moderate elongation and slen- 

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

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

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

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

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

 of brown at the tip, but varying in intensity on the different 

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

 outer surfaces of the limbs being darker than elsewhere. The 

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

 parts are greyish ; while the edges and insides of the ears are 

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

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

 sive 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- 

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

 closely-allied Sable (M. zibellina), in which the fur is still longer 

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

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

 Europe, although not in the extreme north, and ranges east- 

 wards into Western Asia, where it extends probably through- 

 out a large portion of the higher Himalaya. 



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

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

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

 Pine-Marten was probably at one time a common animal 

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

 however, now practically disappeared from the greater part of 

 the southern and midland districts of England, although occa- 

 sional stray examples are now and then met with. Even, 



