PINE MARTEN 



localities. Occasionally a stray individual is recorded 

 from a southern county, but this may be considered of 

 rare occurrence. It exceeds the Polecat in length by 

 several inches, and has a rich, glossy, brown fur, w^ith 

 yellow on the throat and chest. The odour given off by 

 the former is not repeated in the Marten, a fact of con- 

 siderable interest in view of their close affinity. When, 

 as it also does, our present species frequents woods and 

 plantations, it cHmbs trees with much adroitness, and 

 will commandeer the old nest of a bird or Squirrel in 

 which to shelter its young. These vary in number, from 

 four to five usually being brought forth, and there are 

 two or more litters during the year. 



The Pine Marten preys upon birds and their eggs, 

 small mammals and reptiles ; but as it is mostly of 

 arboreal habits, one assumes that ground-dwelling 

 animals are rarely taken. 



Wild Cat. — This handsome, though ferocious, wild 

 tenant of the Scottish Highlands (Fig. 20) is the only 

 British representative we have of the Cat tribe. Domestic 

 pussies which have been allowed to run wild, and, in 

 consequence, have adopted poaching habits, are fre- 

 quently incorrectly recorded as Felis catus, and we 

 were assured quite recently of a specimen of the true 

 Wild Cat being seen in Cambridgeshire. This, however, 

 is open to grave doubt, and we cannot accept the 

 report. 



We have ourselves seen so many fine domestic Cats 

 thriving as a result of their nomad life, fierce, ill-tempered 



9a 



