THE MAETEN 



THIS beautiful connecting link between the fowmarte* and 

 the cat is not a native of this country. It was imported, I 

 believe, from America, and is pretty generally dispersed 

 over the wild and wooded districts of Scotland. It has 

 none of the offensive odour of the fowmarte, and even more 

 alertness and activity than the cat. Kunning at a little 

 distance, it looks exactly like a giant weasel. In some the 

 breast is nearly white, whilst in others it is a bright orange, 

 which has given occasion to the supposition that they are 

 varieties of the species ; but I have no doubt they are the 

 same. Of the many I have seen trapped or shot, I always 

 remarked that the male was darker in the colour, and his 

 breast almost white ; that of the female was orange, and 

 the fur lighter brown. I had a male and female stuffed 

 that were trapped together at the same bait, exactly 

 answering to this description. 



When pursued, the marten, although its legs are so short, 

 can run faster than a cat ; this it does by a succession of 



* A conniption from the Teutonic ful, fetid, and merder, a marten. 



