OCCASIONAL NOTES. 171 
MartTEN-cAT IN CUMBERLAND. — The Marten-cat, or Sweetmart, is 
distributed in greater or less numbers over the mountainous parts of 
Cumberland. It is most abundant in Borrowdale, Scathwaite, and Wast- 
dale, where it is hunted with fox-hounds. When chased it invariably 
makes for the rocks, and takes refuge in the crevices among them. It 
has been known to run to and through woods, but will never run to trees 
if there is a rock “handy.” It is soon overtaken by dogs on ordinary 
ground, but over rocks and stones it goes at a great pace, and is 
exceedingly difficult to come up with at first; but as it cannot go 
much over a mile without resting in some crevice, it is tracked to its 
hiding-place, and if possible drawn by a terrier. It fights fiercely for a 
time, but is soon overpowered by the superior strength of the dog. When 
fighting it uses its claws more than its teeth. It very frequently escapes 
after being run to earth, owing to its being able to creep into such a 
very small hole. I have never heard of one being seen in the bottom 
of the valley, though the trail is sometimes struck there by the hounds. 
Some of those killed had breasts nearly white, and some of nearly a golden 
colour. They feed upon young lambs, birds, moles, frogs, and even old 
sheep, which latter they kill by getting upon the back of the animal and 
biting it ‘‘ under the ear” (probably the jugular vein). One has been known 
to so terrify a sheep by chasing it as to cause it to jump over a precipice, 
and so kill itself by the fall, while the wily little animal ran round by some 
easy descent to feast upon the mangled remains. This occurred, I believe, 
in Borrowdale. They are especially destructive to young lambs. The 
young have frequently been found in the district. They are born about 
the end of April or beginning of May, and are two or three (never 
more) in number, and of a much lighter colour than the old ones. They 
breed on the fell-sides, at a higher or lower elevation, according as they 
have been much disturbed or not. The breeding place is generally some 
well-chosen hole amongst the rocks, near to which is a small piece of grassy 
ground with brackens or other cover. It is never in what the dalesmen call 
a “strong” place—that is, rough and precipitous—where the young might 
get hurt if they fell over. Owing to the difficulty in drawing them when 
run to ground, not more than four to six are killed by the hounds each year, 
though often chased. They have decreased in numbers of late years. I may 
add that I have gathered most of this information from the huntsman of 
the Wastdale-Head Hounds, and it may be accepted as the reliable testimony 
of an eye-witness ; in fact, as the evidence of a man who has probably seen 
more Marten-cats than any one in England.—Cuaruus A. Parxer (Gos- 
forth, Carnforth). 
Manrren-car 1x DorsrersutRE.—I believe the last Marten-cat was killed 
in the Chase Woods by the late Mr. Chafin’s hounds, about the year 1804, 
