NMZ LONG 'S MENAGERIE 187 



" I dare say lie would eat chickens if they came in his 

 way, but he does not care to stay about farms, and 

 lives on Squirrels, birds, and many of the smaller 

 , .nuisance animals, and when driven to it he will eat- 

 even beechnuts." 



'' My, though ! if those Martins ain't got tempers ! "' 

 said Nez. " And don't they jest fight fierce when 

 once they start ! I saw one kill a Rabbit ; it wasn't 

 satisfied with killin', but went on and tore and clawed 

 and chawed it all to bits. 



"You should see 'em try to ketch Squirrels," he con- 

 tinued. " Martins likes to git up in a tree and drop 

 down suddent on their prey. That evenin' a nice, big 

 Red Squirrel was setting on a pine branch with his 

 back to the tree, takin' a nap, though I suspect he was 

 more awake than he seemed. Along comes the Martin 

 down from the tree-top, peerin' this Avay and that, 

 lookin' to make an easy drop. There wuz a branch 

 crosswise above the Squirrel and the Martin he couldn't 

 manage the jump anyhow. Then he began to spit and 

 cuss and snarl like mad, but the Squirrel never budged. 

 He stopped still until the Martin went over to try 

 another side, then opened his eyes, gave a big jump, 

 and was off chatterin' like a watchman's rattle. 



"There's another Martin I've trapped out in the 

 Northwest, that's every bit as big as an Otter and 

 swims and fishes like one, for which reason some folks 

 calls it a Fisher, and some a Black Cat Martin, though 

 they are as much gray as black, and their legs and tails 

 are brown, and they looks something like a little, lanky, 

 long-tailed Bear. This Fisher will eat any mortal thing, 

 from one of its own family to a snake or a Porkipine. 



