THE MARTEN IN IRELAND. 101 



Tomgraney, Co. Clare, by the English proprietor, who, about I860, 

 had purchased the property in the Eucuinbered Estates Court. 



In former times the Marten was much sought after for the 

 sake of its fur, as we have already had occasion to remark 

 (Zool. 1891, p. 404), and this no doubt has contributed to its 

 gradual extinction in parts of the country where it was once 

 common. 



In the 16th century it appears that Marten skins formed an 

 important article of commerce in Ulster. Peter Lombard, who 

 died in 1625, mentions the wild animals, including the Wolf and 

 Wild Boar, which were common at that period in Ulster, and 

 adds " praecipue Martes quorum pelles plurimum sestimantur."* 



In Charles the First's time Lord Deputy Strafford, in a letter 

 to Archbishop Laud, dated Dublin, 27th November, 1638, wrote : — 



11 Before Christmas your lordship shall have all the Marten skins I could 

 get either for love or money since my coming forth of England, yet not to 

 the number I intended. The truth is that as the woods decay, so do the 

 Hawks and Martens of this kingdom. But in some woods I have, my 

 purpose is by all means to set up a breed of Martens ; a good one of these 

 is as much worth as a goood wether, yet neither eats so much or costs so 

 much attendance ; but then the Pheasants must look well to themselves, 

 for they tell me these vermin [i.e. Martens] will hunt and kill them notably. 

 Perchance you think now I learn nothing going up yonder amongst them 

 into the forests and rocks." \ 



At one time, in all probability the Marten must have been 

 generally distributed throughout Ireland, but as civilisation has 

 extended inland from the east and south, and as woods have been 

 cut down, and the country opened up by railways, drainage, and 

 cultivation, so has this animal been gradually driven into the 

 wilder portions of the north and west. 



The following statistics, gleaned from a variety of sources, 

 will convey some idea of its past and present distribution. 



ULSTEK. 



Co. Donegal.— Mr. B. Patterson, of Belfast, writes that about 



1880 one was caught in a rabbit-trap at Horn Head, and another 



at the Ards; in 1884, two near Bally shannon ; and " some years 



ago," two near Glenties ; others seen at Glen Veigh, and Lough 



* 'De regno Hibernian Insula Sanctorum.' 

 f Strafford's ' Letters and Despatches ' (1638), vol. ii. p. 249. 



