Varieties in Martens 335 



on the throat, more than is usual in Scotch examples, 

 and it was always impure in colour, generally broken up 

 by a few unsymmetrical spots of the surrounding brown, 

 and with usually more or less of a pale red, or pale brown 

 tint, pervading the white. In none of them was there 

 any approach to the canary yellow sometimes found in 

 the gular patch in Scotch specimens. In this respect, 

 as well as in the paler shade of the upper parts of the 

 body, Welsh Martens resemble those I have seen from 

 the English Lake district more than Scotch examples, 

 the latter being usually much darker looking almost 

 black at a little distance from the fact that the black 

 glossy hair is relatively so much longer that it protrudes 

 further through, and, when the coat is laid smooth, more 

 effectually covers the soft dull brown fur beneath. In 

 fact the Scotch animals, living largely amongst trees, 

 generally conform to the description of what was formerly 

 called the " Pine Marten " ; while the Welsh and English 

 specimens, almost invariably inhabitating mountain tops, 

 often far away from trees, represent the "Beech," or 

 more properly, perhaps, the " Stone Marten." In very 

 few examples, from either country, is the white of the 

 neck at all pure ; but when it is tinged with yellow^ as 

 distinct from pale brown, I have generally found its 

 boundary more sharply defined, and the pale colour not 

 so liable to be invaded by dark spots. As a rule, too, 

 the yellow-tinged gular patches seem to be less in extent 

 than the others. The neck of the Marten is thick and 

 muscular, especially in the males, and the head appears 

 large in proportion to the body : the face seems very flat, 

 when the animal is looking straight at you, the prominent 

 ears, and the nose, forming the corners of a regular triangle. 

 In Wales, the Marten is generally called Pala-coed^ or 

 Eela-coed^ I.e. "Wood Marten," but in some districts Eela- 

 graig^ or " Rock Marten," is the more usual name ; some- 

 times it is Carlwm. Round Llanuwchllyn, as in fact in 

 most places, it is almost unknown except by name ; but the 

 memory of its former habitations still lingers in a few 

 place-names, and in such proverbs as Cyfrwys fel y bele. 



