26 ZOOLOGY. 



The Fox (Canis vulpes). 



This animal lives in an underground dwelling, 

 which is either dug out by itself or else is a deserted 

 badger-burrow. It kills roes, fawns, hares, and 

 game-birds ; in farms it preys on poultry and eggs. 

 It never commits depredations in the neighbourhood 

 of its burrow, for fear of betraying its hiding-place. 

 Valuable services, however, must be balanced against 

 the damage mentioned above, for it catches many 

 rabbits, and also an enormous number of field- 

 voles in the years when these become a pest. It 

 also often eats insects (e.g. cockchafers), worms, and 

 snails. In fact, the fox is perhaps generally of more 

 use than otherwise to the farmer and forester. 



Family : Mustelidse ( Weasel Family). 



Elongated, slender ; legs short ; head small and flat ; 

 cranium elongated ; tongue smooth. Five toes on 

 each foot, with small, sharp claws. A tuberculated 

 molar on each side in the upper and lower jaws. The 

 weasels give out an offensive odour from stink-glands 

 situated near the anus. 



There belong to this family — 



1. The Pine Marten (Mustela martes). Body up to 

 twenty inches, tail up to ten inches long ; fur brown, 

 with yellowish wool-hairs; a yellowpatch on the throat. 

 Is found in thick woods, where it destroys small birds 

 and squirrels ; it also kills much poultry and game. 



2. The Beech, or Stone Marten (If wsieZa/oi-n-a). About 

 as large as the preceding species ; greyish-brown fur, 

 with whitish wool-hairs ; a white patch in the throat ; 

 chiefly occurs in the immediate neighbourhood of 

 human dwellings, in barns, wood-stacks, etc. ; kills a 

 great deal of poultry, sometimes also wild birds, mice, 

 and game. 



3. TheVoleca,t{Putomusfcetidus). Shining brownish- 

 black, with yellow wool-hairs ; somewhat smaller than 



