OF THE UNITED STATES 469 



This appears to be a very accurate piece of work, and if one will 

 compare it with the figure of this species that illustrates the ar- 

 ticle Marten in the ninth edition of the Encyclopaedia Britannica 

 (Vol. XV., p. 577), it will at once be appreciated that there are 

 some striking points of difference. These differences refer es- 

 pecially to the snout and the tail; the former being too acute in 

 the aforesaid drawing, and the latter not near full and bushy 

 enough. I find this to be the case with respect to other well- 

 known figures as compared with the Leyden Museum specimen. 

 Here is an instance, then, wherein the camera triumphs over the 

 unaided eye of the artist in portraying objects of this kind. And 

 the more this instrument is scientifically used in this direction, 

 so much the better will it be for the interests of pictorial zoology. 



According to Sir William H. Flower, the Martens constitute a 

 small but well-defined section of the family Mustelidw, belonging 

 to theArctoid or Bear-like division of the order Garnivora. The 

 Pine Marten is one of the best known species of this group, and is 

 found in various localities throughout northern Europe and Asia, 

 it is hardly to be distinguished from the North American Sable, 

 or Marten (31. americana), of the fur countries of this continent. 

 A closely related form, both in structure and habits, is the Beech 

 Marl en (31. foina) of the more boreal districts of the Old World, 

 Sweden and Norway excepted. In eastern Siberia the true Sable 

 exists (M. zibellina) ; while in Japan we have still another species, 

 the 31. melampus of science. 31. flavigula occurs in some parts of 

 the Himalayas, Ceylon, Java, and the Malay Peninsula. Lastly,in 

 the more northern parts of the United States and British Ameri- 

 ca, we meet with the famous Pekan, or Fisher, sometimes called 

 Pennant's Marten; quite a remarkable animal. 



Be it remembered, then, that out of the genus Mustela we have 

 at least two well-recognized species of Martens in the United 

 States, viz., the American Sable (31. americana), and the Pekan 

 (31. pennanti). With us the family Mustelidw also contains the 

 otters, the skunks, the badgers, the wolverine, the mink, the 

 ferrets, the ermine, or stoat (Putorius erminea), and the wea- 

 sels. A quite extensive literature has been devoted to the Mus- 

 telidw, that is full of interest even for the general reader, but my 

 space limits will not admit of my touching upon the natural his- 

 tory and geographical distribution of these animals in the pres- 

 ent connection. In passing I am compelled to remark, however, 

 that I have been greatly surprised at the inaccuracy of many of 



