28 VERTEBRATE FAUNA OF LAKELAND 



our century the Foumart was numerous in the Alston valley * 

 and about the villages which lie at the foot of the Pennine 

 range. It was plentiful in the woods near Keswick. The 

 stone walls of the Coniston district afforded many a safe hiding- 

 place to this nocturnal animal, especially near the lake side. In 

 the higher dales it was always less common, because food grew 

 scarce in the upland valleys, but still it long maintained its 

 footing. Mr. Jackson, who has lived all his life in Martindale, 

 and has passed his eighty-fifth birthday lately, assured me that 

 a few Foumarts were always to be found in Martindale in his 

 younger days. His son showed me the exact spot on which the 

 last Martindale Foumart known to him was killed, about the 

 year 1859. In the beginning of the eighteenth century the 

 Foumart was more numerously represented in Lakeland than 

 has been the case at any subsequent period. The accounts of 

 Kendal Parish Church afford us many entries of payments by 

 the churchwardens for the heads of Foumarts. From this source 

 I supply some statistics, in reference to which it should be 

 remembered that Foumart hunters generally commenced their 

 amusement after the first frosty night or two in November. The 

 heads of the animals killed up to Christmas were tendered to the 

 wardens on a ' Peremptory Day,' generally about two days after 

 Christmas. The accounts -were then settled, and the sport was 

 carried on with additional enthusiasm in the months of February 

 and April, the animals' heads procured during these spring 

 months having to be accounted for at the Easter Vestry meeting. 

 Commencing in the year 1700, we find that the Kendal vestries 

 passed the following accounts: '[1700] Dec. 27. Pd. to Tho. 

 Dodgson son for 2 ffoule marts and one Raven, £0, 0s. 6d. Pd. 

 to Dan. Best for 4 ffoule marts, £0, 0s. 8d. Pd. to ye Church- 

 wardens of Grayrigg for 4 ffoule marts and one Raven, £0, 0s. lOd. 

 Pd. to Wm. Parker for 5 ffoul marts, £0, 0s. lOd. Pd. to 

 Tho. Hodgson son of Birkhagg for 5 foule marts, £0, 0s. lOd. 

 Pd. to Tho. Dodgson son for 6 ffoule marts and one raven, 

 £0, Is. 2d.' At the Easter Vestry in April 1701 the following 

 moneys were ordered to be disbursed : ' Pd. to Tho. Hudgson 

 for one ffoule Mart, £0, 0s. 2d. Pd. to ye Churchwardens of 

 Underbarrow for 15 foule Mart and one Raven, £0, 2s. 8d. Pd. 



