WEASEL FAMILY. 



53 



Habits. 



Over the greater part of Europe this marten is a commoner animal 

 than the preceding, which it also exceeds in the greater boldness of 

 its disposition. Although it is a frequenter of woods and trees, it is also found 

 not uncommonly among rocks and stones, and hence receives its German name 

 of steinniarder. In barren districts like Ladak this marten must, of course, nearly 

 always dwell among rocks. From its bold disposition it is frequently found in the 

 neighbourhood of human habitations, where it inflicts much damage on poultry. 



In its general mode of life the species closely resembles M. martes. The nest 

 is carefully formed of hay and straw, and situated in a hole in a tree, in the 

 crannies between rocks, or in an old barn or granary. The young, generally from 

 four to five in number, are born about the month of April, and are blind for the 

 first fortnight of their existence. Its wanderings at night during the summer are 



THE BEECH-MARTEN ( nat. size). 



extensive ; and no dove-cot however lofty it may be is safe when there is a 

 marten anywhere in the neighbourhood. The food of this species is much the 

 same as that of the last, although in inhabited districts including more domesti- 

 cated animals. It feeds on mice, rats, rabbits, and all kinds of birds ; and, when 

 dwelling in woods, hunts and kills squirrels, lizards, and frogs. It likewise eats 

 fruits of various kinds, such as cherries and plums; and in some parts of the 

 Continent is considered to do so much harm to orchards that the stems of the trees 

 are washed with tobacco-juice or petroleum in order to prevent the marten from 

 ascending them. Like all its kindred, the beech-marten is, for its size, an ex- 

 ceedingly bloodthirsty creature, and will often kill more than it can devour. 



Although generally silent, in the pairing-season, which takes place towards the 

 end of February (or about three weeks later than that of the pine-marten), these 

 animals utter a kind of mewing sound not unlike that of a cat ; and a pair of them 

 in a tree may be heard for a considerable distance. 



