GROUP OF THE MARTENS. 



221 



dentition. In all other respects these two 

 genera, which are represented both in the 

 Old World and the New, resemble each 

 other very closely, and frequently they are 

 combined, only the species being distinguished. 

 Along with the otters these two genera 

 furnish us with the most valuable furs. 



The martens and polecats are small digiti- 

 grade animals, with very long, often worm- 

 like body, very short legs, five-toed feet, with 

 sharp claws on the toes, long bushy tail, head 

 broad behind, and short pointed muzzle. 

 These .savage depredators hide in very care- 

 fully chosen retreats in hollow trees, clefts in 



Fig. 114. — The Pine-Marten (Miistcla martfs). 



the rocks, old decayed walls, and the like; 

 and feed on the smaller mammals, on birds, 

 eggs, reptiles, insects, and even on fruits 

 when they can find nothing better. They 

 are the boldest and most cruel ravagers among 

 all the Carnivora, blood-suckers which kill far 

 beyond the requirements of their hunger, 

 expert climbers and 'jumpers, which often 

 combine in a remarkable degree boldness 

 and wiliness. The colder and severer the 

 climate of their habitat the more valuable is 

 their fur, especially when the animals have 

 been killed in winter. 



The true Martens i^Musteld) have 38 teeth 

 in all, in the upper jaw four premolars, the 

 last of which is a carnassial. The canines are 

 slender, curved, and very sharp-pointed; the 

 first premolar is very small, the upper carnas- 



sial long, sharp, with a narrow process in 

 front, the tubercled tooth transversely elon- 

 gated, while that of the lower jaw is small and 

 round. In Europe we have two species of 

 this genus. The Pine -Marten [Mtistela 

 martes), fig. 114, is brown, with an orange- 

 yellow spot on the throat. As in all other 

 martens, the fur consists of a very thick 

 down, fine and soft, of a yellow and gray 

 colour, with which are intermingled somewhat 

 longer and stronger hairs of a brown colour, 

 passing almost into black on the tail and 

 legs. 



The marten is distributed throughout 

 Northern and Central Europe, extending as 

 far as Italy and Western Siberia; its limits 

 on the south-east are the Altai, the Ural, and 

 the Caucasus. It is an inhabitant of the 



