ITS CONTESTS WITH THE WILD CAT. 53 



not appear to soften the courage of the animal, for the 

 pine-marten is just as bold to attack, and as stanch as 

 the common marten, if indeed it be not more so. In 

 mountain situations, it not only attacks and vanquishes 

 the wood-cat, but is said, by its stratagem, to bring down 

 the pride of the mountain the eagle herself, if the first 

 and formidable clutch of her talons does not transfix its 

 vitals. With the cat, it is in a state of open hostility ; 

 and often when she is crouching, with her eyes intent 

 only on her prey, and just ready to pounce, the pine- 

 marten will spring upon her, fasten on the vessels of 

 her neck, pin her to the spot, and put an end to her 

 hunting. It is also said that the cat, though ever so 

 much pressed with hunger, will not venture to spring 

 upon the marten. The pounce of the cat is not a 

 death-stroke, like that of the eagle indeed, death at 

 one blow is not the practice of any of the feline race, 

 from the lion downwards. Catching, crippling, and 

 then torturing to death, is the cat system ; and catching 

 a marten, without killing it, by any animal whose throat 

 it can reach, is " catching a tartar." Thus the cat does 

 not willingly attack, but still she knows her enemy, and 

 as she knows that it will attack if she do not, and as 

 she is rather a brave animal, she generally offers battle. 

 The onset is one of some skill on both sides. The 

 aim of the cat is to pounce with her paws upon the 

 head of the marten, in such a way as that the claws 

 may destroy or wound its eyes, while her teeth are 

 embedded in its neck ; and if she can accomplish that, 

 the fate of the marten is decided. That, however, if done 

 at all, must be done in a moment, and if it be lost, 

 there is no repairing the mistake. The spring of the 

 F 3 



