PINE-MARTEN. 
O 
that the earth was in the “ Xew Covert ” at Busliby, and that the two sets of 
cubs were of different sizes, and were dug out and sent to the Master. 
That the Fox and Badger will live on terms of amity one with the other is 
borne out by the late Mr. Alfred Ellis, who recorded this as occurring at “ The 
Brand” for at least six years (see ‘Zoologist,’ 1880, pp. 5-9). 
A singular incident occurred near Countesthorpe during the first week of 
April, 1888. A Spaniel belonging to Mr. Samuel Chapman had ten pups, which, 
not being well-bred, were all drowned, whereupon the disconsolate mother was 
missing for three days, and, upon search being made, was finally discovered about 
a quarter of a mile from home, in a Rabbit-burrow, contentedly suckling three 
Fox cubs, for the possession of which she must, undoubtedly, have done battle. 
Mr. Chapman being away from home, his wife imagined that the Dog again 
had pups, and two of the cubs were consequently drowned ; the third, however, 
was shut up with its strange foster-mother in a barn close to the burrow, and, 
says Mrs. Chapman, “ I went again at the close of the day to fetch her home, 
and no doubt the vixen Fox was searching for her cubs, as she passed close by 
me.” 
Division AllCTOIDEA. 
Family MUSTELID^. 
PINE-MARTEN. Mustela martes, Linnaeus. 
“ Marten-Cat.” 
Possibly extinct. — Harley wrote of tliis species (which he called “ Mustela 
foina ” *) : — “ Annually becoming rare. Occurred a few years since in the woods 
at Gopsall. The writer had an opportunity afforded him some j^ears since of 
examining a female and young of this species of Mustela, which had been 
captured on Earl Howe’s estate, situate on the western side of the county. The 
occurrence of the JMarten in any district around Leicester must be considered 
rare and unusual. Affects decayed and hollow trees, in which it brings forth 
its young. Preys much on young birds and small IMammalia.” I can find no 
recent notices of its capture in Leicestershire ; there is, however, an old specimen 
in the IMuseum, supposed to be from Wellsborough ; and another specimen I 
had an opportunity of examining at Bradgate House is reported by Mr. H. A. 
Payne, of Enville, to have been killed at Bradgate about 1868, by Thomas 
Mennell. The late Air. R. Widdowson wrote : — “ When I first came to reside in 
Alelton, I went over to Leicester several times, and used to call on a Air. Pickard, 
* M. foina, of Linnseus, Gmelin, Erxleben, Jenyns, etc., etc., is, however, the Continental 
Beech-Marten, and, despite the records of the older British naturalists, has never occurred in 
Britain, but has been confused with the Pine-AIarten, which was at one time considered the 
rai'er animal. (See R. Alston, ‘Proceedings of the Zoological Society,’ 1879 ; also pp. 441-8, 
•* Zoologist,’ 1879). 
