THE MAKTEN. 9 



which were killed many years ago at Rosemount, Greyabbey (County 

 Down), seem, from accurate description, to have been polecats. 



As regards their distribution in Scotland, I may add that on oth Sep- 

 tember, 1839, I saw several which were taken at Ballantrae ; and in 

 1842 I was credibly informed that they were killed in the neighbour- 

 hood of Loch Cor. 



The Common, or Beech, Marten, Maries fuina, Bell. 

 The Pine Marten, Martes abietum, Ray. 



The marten is found over the island, in suitable localities. 



All the native specimens which have come mider my own notice Avere 

 yellow-breasted [Martes abietion), with the exception of one, which had 

 the breast white {31. foina), and Avas killed in the County of Antrim. 

 The difference of colour attributed to these animals appears to me of no 

 value as a specific character, as in course of shedding their fur they be- 

 come parti-coloured, the breast as well as the body presenting, at the same 

 time, the colours of the beech and the pine marten. Mr. Eyton has pub- 

 lished, in the Annals of Nat. Hist. (Dec, 1840 — p. 290), some valuable 

 remarks on the British martens, tending to prove that they are, in reality, 

 of but one species. He states that the young animal has the yellow 

 breast attributed to the pine marten ; and the adult, the white breast 

 of the common " species." I had also, long since, remarked that the yel- 

 low colour of the breast gave place to Avhite. This view Avould satisfac- 

 torily explain why the yellow-breasted one [31. ahietum) should appear to 

 be the more common Avith us, as by far the greater proportion of animals 

 that fall victims to man are those Avhich have not arrived at full maturity. 



As martens may be expected to become gradually more scarce Avith the 

 improvement of the country, I shall notice the localities in Avhich I have 

 had satisfactory evidence of their occurrence — Avell-Avooded demesnes 

 chiefly — but it is probable that every county in Ireland possesses this 

 animal. 



In the folloAving notes, it is generally uncertain Avhich of the species or 

 A'arieties is meant : — 



County of Donegal .... J. V. SteAA-art, Esq., notes the yelloAv-breasted 



marten in his catalogue of the mammalia of 

 this county. 



— Londonderry . . CastledaAvson, and near Toome Bridge. 



— Antrim Glenarm Park; GlenaiitT; Shane's Castle 



Park ; vicinity of Larne ; Tullamore Lodge ; 

 Castle Dobbs ; and Malone House, Avithin 

 4 miles of Belfast. A pair of martens AAere 

 discovered, some years ago, in possession of 

 a magpie's nest at the place last named. 



— DoAvn Hillsborough Park ; Tollymore Park ; Donard 



Lodge ; and Belvoir Park, Avherc a marten 

 inflicted a severe bite on the hand of a boy 

 AA-ho unexpectedly found it in a magj)ie's 

 nest Avhich he intended to rob. 



— Armagh .... Lord Gosford's demesne ; Tandragcc and 



Churchhill. 



— Fermanagh . . . Florence Court. 



— Longford .... Carrickglass. 



— Gahvay .... Conneinara. 



— Tipperary .... Woods about Clonmel. 



