THE PINE-MARTEN. 157 



to use as a lure some conspicuous object, such as 

 the wing of a partridge, so placed that the bait 

 moves from side to side as the wind blows. A 

 marten will always go for a moving bait even 

 though he is suspicious of it, and such a set 

 generally yields good results, as the animal is not 

 likely to escape seeing it. 



SEASIDE HABITS. 



More especially along the west coast of Ireland 

 martens regularly become attached to the sea- 

 cliffs, making their homes in the rocky fastnesses, 

 and seldom or never venturing inland. They 

 become almost a cragland species, and, owing to 

 the constant abundance of food, are apt to grow 

 into finer specimens than those inhabiting inland 

 forests. 



Naturally the marten is thoroughly at home 

 among sea-cliffs, and a vast variety of food is 

 always at hand. Rabbits are generally abundant 

 among the crags, shore-scavenging rats exist in 

 thousands in many parts, and countless numbers 

 of wild-fowl throng the ledges. These seaside 

 dwellers are said also to quarter the sea-shore in 

 search of shell-fish or any stranded sea-life washed 

 up by the tide. 



Probably the day is not far distant when the 

 marten will no longer exist as a creature of our 

 woods, but long after that day has dawned it 

 will continue to hold its own here and there along 

 the coast-crags. It is not likely to be exterminated 

 on the west coast of Ireland for many decades to 

 come, for among those wild and inaccessible crags 

 it is practically secure from man's destruction. 

 The only trouble is that a little' marten goes a 

 long way by which is meant that, since they are 



