WEASELS—THE PINE MARTEN. 75 
its chase the business of their lives, and to expend their whole energies in 
capturing the animal from whose body the much-prized fur is taken. 
The continual persecution to which the Caama is subjected, has almost 
exterminated it in the immediate vicinity of Cape Town, where it was formerly 
seen in tolerable plenty. Gradually, however, it retreats more and more 
northward before the tread of civilized man, and at the present day is but 
very rarely seen within the limits of the colony. 
WEASELS. 
NEXT in order to the dogs, is placed the large and important family of the 
WEASELS, representatives of which are found in almost every portion of the 
earth. There is something marvellously serpentine in the aspect and struc- 
ture of the members of.this family—the Mustelida, as they are called, from 
the Latin word dA/uste/a, which signifies a Weasel. Their extremely long 
bodies and very short legs, together with the astonishing perfection of the 
muscular powers, give them the capability of winding their little bodies into 
the smallest possible crevices, and of waging successful battle with animals 
of twenty times their size and strength. : 
First on the list of Weasels are placed the agile and lively MARTENS, or 
MARTEN-CaTS, as they are sometimes termed. ‘Two species of British 
Martens are generally admitted into 
our catalogues, although the distinc- 
tion of the species is even as yet a 
mooted point. 
The PINE MARTEN is so called 
because it is generally found in 
those localities where the pine-trees 
abound, and is in the habit of climb- 
ing the pines in search of prey. It 
is a shy and wary animal, withdraw- 
ing itself as far as possible from 
the sight of man; and although a 
fierce and dangerous antagonist when 
brought to bay, is naturally of a timid 
disposition, and shuns collision with 
an enemy. 
It is a tree-loving animal, being ac- = PINE MARTEN.—(Aartes Abietum.) 
customed to traverse the trunks and 
branches with wonderful address and activity, and being enabled by its rapid 
and silent movements to Steal unnoticed on many an unfortunate bird, and 
to seize it in its deadly gripe before the startled victim can address itself to 
flight. It is a sad robber of nests, rifling them of eggs and young, and not 
unfrequently adding the parent bird to its list of victims. 
The damage which a pair of Martens and their young will inflict upon a 
poultry-yard is almost incredible. If they can only gain an entrance into 
the fowl-house, they will spare but very few of the inhabitants. They will 
carry off an entire brood of young chickens, eat the eggs, and destroy the 
parents. 
The magpie’s nest is a very favourite resort of the Marten, because its 
arched covering and small entrance afford additional security. A boy who 
was engaged in bird-nesting, and had climbed to the top of a lofty tree in 
order to plunder a magpie’s nest, was made painfully sensible of an intruder’s 
presence by a severe bite which was inflicted upon his fingers as soon as he 
