THE POLECAT AND THE MARTEN 



397 



Bingley mentions in addition the use of 

 the Beech Marten in the training of young 

 foxhounds, and quotes from Daniels' 

 " Rural Sports " an instance of one kept 

 as a pet in the kitchen of the " Bald- 

 faced Stag " in Epping Forest. In the 

 face of evidence of this kind it seems 

 hazardous to assert that the Beech Marten 



lustrous in daylight, and this may be due 

 to a structural peculiarity which causes 

 them, under certain other conditions, 

 literally to blaze. I remember on one 

 occasion looking into one of my Martens' 

 cages and being staggered by the ani- 

 mal's e.xtraordinary appearance. His eyes 

 seemed twice their normal size and shone 



THE MARTEN. 

 Showing the manner in which it moves along a bough. 



t\'pe never existed in a wild state in this 

 country, though unfortunately there can 

 be no doubt that it is non-existent at 

 the present moment. 



Martens form a connecting link both 

 in size and appearance between the bear- 

 like Wolverene or Glutton, whose remains 

 occur in superficial British deposits, and 

 the true Weasels. 



Comparing them with the latter, we 

 find their bodies shorter and stouter in 

 proportion to their limbs, their heads 

 less massive, their noses longer and more 

 pointed. In most aspects the projection 

 of their muzzles conceals their mouths, 

 and, in consequence of this, they exhibit 

 none of that peevish expression which is 

 characteristic of Weasels, and which must 

 be attributed to the droop at the corners 

 of their tightly compressed lips. The 

 eyes of Martens are somewhat lack- 



51 



like burnished copper. I thought that 

 something was wrong with him, but, 

 on entering the cage and examining him 

 closely, found him apparently quite com- 

 fortable and his eyes in their normal 

 condition. Thinking that my own eyes 

 had been at fault, I paid no further atten- 

 tion to the matter until, looking at him 

 a few days afterwards, I observed the 

 same extraordinary effect. This time I 

 happened to move my head slightly to 

 one side, and it then dawned on me that 

 the sun was low at my back and that my 

 own eyes must be near the apex-points 

 of two cones of light reflected from the 

 animal's eyes. The fact that the eyes of 

 certain animals, notably beasts of prey, 

 " blaze like coals " in the dark has 

 often been observed and commented 

 on, usually in connection with animals 

 prowling round a camp-fire. On this 



