448 WILD SPAIN. 



Wild-cats are common throughout Spain wherever rabbits 

 abound. In the sierras, they breed in crags and rabbit-burrows; 

 on the plains the young are often produced in nests built in 

 trees, or among the tall bamboos in the cane-brakes. 



Weight of an old tom 10|- lbs., of a female 8| lbs. In some 

 examples the fur of the underparts is of a wanii tawny hue. 

 The general colour of the wild-cat is a brindled grey, with 

 black stripes. 



Genet (Viverra genetta). 

 Spanish : Gmeta. 



A beautiful beast, with clear grey fur, blotched with big 

 black spots, a long tail, and a head more like a fox-terrier than 

 a cat : common in all the southern provinces, and as far north 

 as Old Castile ; at La Gran j a, and in the j^rovinces of Avila 

 and Segovia. Not found (we believe) in Asturias or Santauder. 



The genet lives in holes in rocks and crags, and in large 

 woods. In winter, we have shot them when beating the sallows 

 and cane-brakes for woodcock. It feeds on small rodents and 

 young birds, occasionally, like the polecat, plundering hen- 

 roosts, when it eats the brains of its numerous victims, and 

 leaves the body untouched. In autumn, when the grapes are 

 ripe, it is said to be very fond of a feast in the vineyards ; but 

 its principal food consists of mice and moles. It is considered 

 a better cazador than even the lynx, wily as a fox, and twisting 

 as a snake. 



Our friend Manuel de la Torre killed three genets in Estre- 

 madura that were entirely hlacJc, and rather smaller than the 

 average. One of these specimens is in the Madrid Museum. 



Marten (Mustela foina) . 

 Spanish : Foina, Garduno. 



Conunon in Audalucia, Estremadura, and Valencia : also 

 observed in the Asturias and Santander. Onlv one kind of 

 marten is found generally throughout Spain, but we have some 

 reason to believe that the " marta " of the Pyrenees is the 

 rarer pine-marten (M. abietum). 



