Class I. MARTIN. 109 



young, it is easily tamed, is extremely play- 

 ful, and in constant good humour : nature will 

 recur, if it gets loose, for it will immediately 

 take advantage of its liberty, and retire to its 

 proper haunts. It makes great havoke among 

 poultry, game, 8$c. and will eat mice, rats, and 

 moles. With us it inhabits woods, and forms 

 its lodge in the hollows of trees ; it brings from 

 four to six young at a time. 



The martin is about eighteen inches long; Descrip- 

 the tail ten, or, if the measurement be taken to 

 the end of the hair at the point, twelve inches. 

 The ears are broad, rounded and open; the 

 back, sides, and tail, are covered with a fine 

 thick down, and with long hair intermixed ; the 

 bottom is ash-colored, the middle of a bright 

 chesnut color, the tips black ; the head brown, 

 with some slight cast of red ; the legs and upper 

 sides of the feet are of a chocolate color ; the 

 palms, or under sides, are covered with thick 

 down like that on the body ; the feet are broad ; 

 the claws white, large and sharp, well adapted 

 for climbing trees, which in this country are its 

 constant residence. The throat and breast are 

 white ; the belly of the same color with the 

 back, but rather paler ; the hair on the tail is 

 very long, especially at the end, where it appears 

 much thicker than near the origin of it ; the hair 



