166 FLESH-EATERS OF THE LAND 



that is specially adapted to resisting water. The fur of the 

 animal is largely used for ladies' cloaks, muffs, and vic- 

 torines, and as many as a quarter of a million skins have 

 been imported into England in a year. 



In America the Mink is often trained to take the place of 

 the ferret, and ' Minkeries,' or Mink farms, have been estab- 

 lished, where the animals are reared for the sake of their 

 furs. It is rather remarkable that a similar plan has not 

 been adopted with the sable, for while the skin of the 

 Mink only fetches from ten to fifteen shillings, that of the 

 sable is worth perhaps as many pounds. When the Mink 

 happens to be silver-grey, it takes on added value, six skins 

 making a muff worth as much as twenty-five guineas. 



PINE MARTEN (Mustela martes). 

 Coloured Plate IX. Fig. 5. 



Of the Martens there are two species, the Pine Marten, as 

 figured in the illustration, and the Beech, or Stone, Marten 

 (Mustela foina). The distinguishing feature of the latter is 

 its white throat ; it is not a British animal, but is found in 

 Central Europe, extending into Asia as far as Sikkim. 



The Pine Marten is found in the northern regions of both 

 hemispheres ; in Central Europe often in the same neigh- 

 bourhood as the Beech Marten ; and only to a small extent 

 in the British Isles. The finest of the species are the 

 Martens of Scandinavia, but those of Ireland, in the 

 Wicklow and Mourne mountains in particular, are a very 

 good second. 



The body of the Pine Marten, slender and flexible, is 

 about twenty inches in length ; the tail is long and bushy. 

 It is an agile, graceful animal, elegantly furred in brown of 

 various shades, while the under fur is beautifully soft and 

 of a rather lighter colour ; the throat is yellow. The 

 animal's feet are very cat-like, and between the naked pads 

 are densely furred. When annoyed, the Marten arches its 

 back, erects its hair, and hisses like a cat. The odour of 

 the animal is something like musk, quite unlike the fetid 

 smell of some of its relations. 



