THE MARTEN. 329 



springs, for which its long body gives it a great advantage. 

 As a last resource, it will climb trees, and spring from one 

 to another like a squirrel. I once, with two or three 

 companions, had a curious hunt of this kind. The marten 

 had been driven by a very swift terrier into a clump of 

 pines, which it so nearly resembled in colour that we had 

 great difficulty in keeping sight of it. At last we thought 

 of cutting off its retreat by climbing all the adjacent 

 trees : the creature showed great coolness when thus 

 driven to extremities, awaiting the approach of its 

 enemy, perched on the pinnacle of the tallest pine; and 

 it was only when one of our party got quite close, that it 

 sprang from the top to the bottom of the tree, rebounding 

 nearly a yard from the hard turf, just where I was stand- 

 ing, and, not a whit disconcerted, darted off at full speed, 

 gained a precipice, and made good its escape. 



Unless hard pressed, however, the marten is more apt to 

 go to earth, or take refuge in the clefts of the rocks, than 

 upon trees. When run to ground by a fox-hound, there is 

 no creature more easily smoked out it will bolt almost 

 immediately ; and numbers are killed in this manner, 

 although, from the quickness and uncertainty of its exit, 

 it is anything but an easy shot. 



When in quest of prey, it is daring as well as mis- 

 chievous ; not so apt to leave its secure fastness in the day- 

 time, but under cover of darkness it will travel many miles, 

 committing great devastation in preserves; and unless 

 trapped or shot, will return night after night to the poultry- 

 yard, killing many more fowls than it devours. One of 



