MAMMALIA — MARTEN. 125 



Gddman considers the common Vireascl of the United States to be the 

 same as the ermine or stoat of Europe. He says that in the middle and 

 eastern States, it is most generally known as the weasel. Farther north, it 

 is called stoat in its summer, and ermine in its winter pelage of pure white. 

 Richardson says that both the ermine or stoat, and the common weasel 

 of Europe, are indubitably found in America ; the former extending to the 

 most remote arctic districts, and the latter as far north as the Saskatche- 

 wan river. 



THE PINE MARTEN, OR PINE WEASEL,^ 



Originally a native of the north, is in a manner peculiar to that climate, 

 where it is so numerous, that the quantity of furs produced from this animal 

 alone, and carried into foreign countries, is actually astonishing. In tem- 

 perate climates, on the contrary, it is rarely, and in warm climates never, 

 to be found. Some there are in Burgundy, and some in the forest of Fon- 

 tainbleau ; but in general they are as scarce in France as the beech marten 

 is common. It is not uncommon in the wild parts of Scotland, among the 

 wooded ravines of the mountains. 



Alike averse to open countries, and to countries which are inhabited, it 

 remains in the bosom of some forest, ranges below through the labyrinths 

 of the thicket, or towers aloft upon the branches of trees. It subsists by the 

 chase, and destroys a prodigious quantity of birds, whose nests it searches 

 for, and invades, in order lo devour tlie eggs. Of the squirrel, the dormouse, 

 &c., it also makes a prey; and it is known to eat honey, as well as the 

 beech marten. In the description of the wild cat, will be found an account 

 of the combats of that animal with the pine marten. 



To this, may be added, with respect to the latter, that it is said to be 

 sometimes victorious, even over the golden eagle, when that bird pounces 

 on it as its prey. It seizes the aggressor by the throat, and the loss of blood 

 soon brings down the eagle lifeless from its "pride of place." 



Its neck is yellow, whereas that of the beech marten is white ; and its 

 hair, at the same time, is much finer, thicker, and less subject to shed. 



When the female is near her time, her custom is to climb to the nest of 

 some squirrel, to drive her from it, to enlarge it for her own purpose, and to 



' Mustda martes, Lin. 



