THE ZOOLOGIST. 



THIRD SERIES. 



Vol. XV.] NOVEMBER, 1891. [No. J 79. 



THE BEITISH MARTEN. 



MARTES SYLVATICA, Nilsson. 



By the Editor. 



Plate IV. 



If the views of the late Edward Alston respecting British 

 Martens (Proc. Zool. Soc, 1879, pp. 468—474) are to be 

 accepted, as appears likely to be the case, for, so far as I am 

 aware, no one has attempted to controvert them, a good deal of 

 difficulty is at once removed. To attempt to sift the records of 

 the occurrence of Martens in the British Islands on the 

 assumption, hitherto held, that there are two indigenous species, 

 the Pine Marten (Martes sylvatica), and the Beech Marten (M. 

 foina), would be an extremely troublesome if not impossible task, 

 for the reason that so many of the records would leave it doubtful 

 which of the two were referred to, and the specimens in question 

 would probably not now be forthcoming for examination. If, 

 however, we are to adopt Mr. Alston's view, that the Pine Marten 

 is the only species of the genus Martes which has ever occurred 

 in the British Islands, the matter is considerably simplified. 



He tells us (I. c.) that he examined a great number of skulls, 

 and compared them with descriptions, and that he found no 

 difficulty in distinguishing the two species. The following are 

 the external and internal characters on which he relies : — 



Martes sylvatica. — Outer fur rich dark brown, under fur reddish 

 grey, with clear reddish yellow tips ; breast-spot, usually yellow, 

 ZOOLOGIST. NOV. 1891. 2 k 



