136 WOODLANDERS AND FIELD FOLK 



tits. Higher up the valley, towards the hills, tracks of 

 another kind begin to appear. On the fells I come 

 across a dead herdwick, trampled about with in- 

 numerable feet. I examine these closely, and find 

 that they are of two species the raven and buzzard. 

 Further in the scrub I track a pine-marten to its lair 

 in the rocks. The dogs drive it from its stronghold, 

 and, being arboreal in its habits, it immediately 

 makes up the nearest pine-trunk. Its rich brown 

 fur and orange throat make it one of the most 

 lithely beautiful of British animals. A pair of stoats, 

 or ermines, with their flecked coats just in the transi- 

 tion stage, have their haunts in the same wood. 

 From the snow I see that last night they have 

 threaded the aisles of the pines in search of food. 

 This clear-cut sharp track by the fence is that of the 

 fox. Later I see the beautiful buoyant creature 

 bounding over the snow in graceful leaps. Fleet 

 and wild as the wind, his speed and play of muscle 

 are hidden by his long soft fur. An exquisitely 

 formed creature, I doubt as I look on him whether 

 he is not worthy of the good things of the covert 

 to which he is stealing. The most beautiful winter 

 picture of this wintry morning is the red fox on the 

 white snow. 



