MAMMALS. 27 



the stone marten ; in particular, the tail is shorter 

 and its hair is not so. long as in the two preceding 

 species. In the summer it lives in the open country, 

 in hollow trees, or in the burrows of foxes and rabbits ; 

 in winter it settles down near human dwellings, where 

 it lives in wood and under heaps of brushwood, hay- 

 lofts, etc. In summer it may do more good by 

 destroying numerous field-voles, water-rats, etc., than 



Fig. 15. — The Pine Marten (Mustela martes). 



harm by devouring those singing birds which are 

 favourable to agriculture ; but in winter its undesir- 

 able visits to the fowl-house and dove-cot effect much 

 injury. It kUls the birds and devours the eggs, suck- 

 ing without smashing them. In winter, too, it is very 

 harmful to beehives, being fond of honey. 



The Ferret {Putorius furo) is undoubtedly a short- 

 legged variety of the common polecat, usually white 

 in colour, and, when that is the case, red-eyed. 



