582 CARNIVORA 
pets of, not having the strong unpleasant odour of the smaller 
Mustelide. The common European Marten appears to have been 
partially domesticated by the Greeks and Romans, and to have 
been used to keep houses clear from rats and mice before cats were 
introduced.!_ In the same way, according to Hodgson, the Yellow- 
bellied Weasel (JZ. cathia) “is exceedingly prized by the Nipalese 
for its service in ridding houses of rats. It is easily tamed; and 
such is the dread of it common to all Murine animals that not one 
will approach a house where it is domiciled.” It is, however, to 
the great value attached to the pelts of these animals that their 
importance to man is chiefly due. Though all yield fur of 
serviceable quality, the commercial value varies immensely, not 
only according to the particular species from which it is obtained, 
but according to individual variation, depending upon age, sex, 
season, and other trifling circumstances. The skins from northern 
regions are more full and of a finer colour and gloss than those 
from more temperate climates, as are those of animals killed in 
winter compared with the same individuals in the summer season. 
The caprices of fashion have, moreover, set wholly factitious values 
upon slight shades of colour, recognised and named by experienced 
furriers, but not: indicating any specific or other distinctions of 
which zoologists have any cognisance. Enormous numbers of 
animals are annually caught, chiefly in traps, to supply the demand 
of the fur trade, Siberia and North America being the principal 
localities from which they are obtained. 
With the exception of the Pekan (JZ. pennanti) all the Martens 
are so much alike in size, general colouring, and cranial and dental 
characters that the discrimination of the species, and assignment of 
the proper geographical distribution to each, has been a subject 
which has sorely perplexed the ingenuity and patience of zoologists. 
The following description by Dr. Elliott Coues of the external 
characters of the American Pine Marten (J/. americana) will apply 
almost equally well to most of the others: “It is almost impossible 
to describe the colour of the Pine Marten, except in general terms, 
without going into the details of the endless diversities occasioned 
by age, sex, season, or other incidents.. The animal is ‘brown,’ of 
various shades from orange or tawny to quite blackish ; the tail and 
feet are ordinarily the darkest, the head lightest, often quite whitish ; 
the ears are usually rimmed with whitish; on the throat there is 
usually a large tawny-yellowish or orange-brown patch, from the 
chin to the fore legs, sometimes entire, sometimes broken into a 
number of smaller, irregular blotches, sometimes wanting, some- 
times prolonged on the whole under surface, when the animal is 
? See Rolleston, ‘‘On the Domestic Cats, Felis domesticus and Mustela foina, 
of Ancient and Modern Times,” Jowrnal of Anatomy and Physiology, vol. ii. p. 
47, 1868. 
