GROUP OF THE ^lARTENS. 



ijolecats are small elis^iti- 



dentition. In all other respects these two The martens ane_ 



genera, which are represented both in the ^ grade animals, with \ery long, often worm- 

 Old World and the New, resemble each . like bod\-, \-ery short legs, tive-toed feet, with 

 other very closely, and frequently they are , sharp claws on the toes, long bushy tail, head 

 combined, only the species being distinguished. I broad behind, and short "pointed muzzle. 

 Along with the otters these two genera ' These savage depredators hide in very care- 

 furnish us with the most valuable furs. fully cho.sen retreats in hollow trees, cfefts in 



Fig-. 114. -The Pinc-Marton [Miiitilu maiics). 



the rocks, old decayed walls, and the like: 

 and teed on the smaller mammals, on birds, 

 eggs, reptiles, insects, and even on fruits 

 when they can find nothing better. They 

 are the boldest and most cruel ra\'agers among 

 all the Carnivora, blood-suckers which kill far 

 beyond the requirements of their hunger, 

 expert climbers and jumpers, which often 

 combine in a remarkable degree boldness 

 and wiliness. The colder and severer the 

 climate of their habitat the more valuable is 

 their fur, especially when the animals have 

 been killed in winter. 



The true Martens {Mustcia) have 38 teeth 

 in all, in the upper jaw four premolars, the 

 last of which is a carnassial. The canines are 

 slender, curved, and very sharp-pointed; the 

 first premolar is very small, the upper carnas- 



sial long, sharp, with a narrow process in 

 Jront, the tubercled tooth transversely elon- 

 gated, while that ot the lower jaw is small and 

 round. In Europe we have two species of 

 this genus. The Pine -Marten [Jliish'/a 

 ///ar/is). fig. 114, is brown, with an orange- 

 yellow spot on the throat. As in all other 

 martens, the fur consists of a very thick 

 down, fine and soft, of a yellow and gra)- 

 colour, with which are intermingled somewhat 

 lono-er and stronger hairs of a brown colour, 

 passing almost into black on the tail and 

 legs. 



The marten is distributed throughout 

 Northern and Central Europe, extending as 

 far as Italy and ^^'estern Siberia: its limits 

 on the south-east are the Altai, the Ural, and 

 the Caucasus. It is an inhabitant ot the 



