144 THE PINE-MAIITEN. 



shades towards the sides. Sometimes, but rarely, 

 the breast is pure white. 



SIZE. 



The tip-to-tip length of adult specimens is gener- 

 ally about 22 inches, the tail being from 9 to 12 

 inches. 



The marten differs from the true weasels, among 

 other points, in possessing four pairs of premolars 

 in each jaw, while they possess only three. 



IN CAPTIVITY. 



In a small town in the Vosges which served as 

 a base-hospital during the war, there lived a tame 

 (beech) marten which afforded me many an hour's 

 happy diversion during brief spells of alleged 

 ' rest ' from the line. The town was subjected to 

 shell-fire almost daily, and aircraft usually helped 

 to enliven the hours of darkness; in fact, the 

 condition of things became so bad that there 

 eventually followed an almost complete trek of the 

 civilian population to healthier quarters. This 

 meant the departure of the marten's mistress, duly 

 succeeded by an influx of American soldiers, each 

 intent on occupying in the little captive's heart the 

 place previously held by that lady. Bread, nuts, 

 biscuits, cheese, and chewing-gum littered the cage 

 in unsavoury confusion ; but whether these atten- 

 tions or the shell-fire were responsible, the marten 

 became so fierce and distrustful in disposition that 

 it was the height of folly to attempt any liberties. 



I was told that before the war this creature was 

 as gentle and lovable as a kitten, curling itself 

 round the woman's neck in poses of affection, and 

 spending hours gambolling on the veranda and 

 about the eaves while she sat at her sewing. It 



