THE MARTEN. 
9 
which were killed many years ago at Rosemount, Greyabbey (County 
Down), seem, from accurate description, to have been polecats. 
As regards their distribution in Scotland, I may add that on oth Sep- 
tember, 1839, I saw several which were taken at Ballantrae ; and in 
1842 I was credibly informed that they were killed in the neighbour- 
hood of Loch Cor. 
The Common, or Beech, Marten, Martes fuina, Bell. 
The Pine Marten, Martes abietum , Ray. 
The marten is found over the island, in suitable localities. 
All the native specimens which have come under my own notice were 
yellow-breasted ( Martes abietum ), with the exception of one, which had 
the breast white [M. foina), and was killed in the County of Antrim. 
The difference of colour attributed to these animals appears to me of no 
value as a specific character, as in course of shedding their fur they be- 
come parti-coloured, the breast as well as the body presenting, at the same 
time, the. colours of the beech and the pine marten. Mr. Eyton has pub- 
lished, in the Annals of Nat. Hist. (Dec., 1840 — p. 290), some valuable 
remarks on the Brit^h martens, tending to prove that they are, in reality, 
of but one species. He states that the young animal has the yellow 
breast attributed to the pine marten ; and the adult, the white breast 
of the common “ species.” I had also, long since, remarked that the yel- 
low colour of the breast gave place to white. This view would satisfac- 
torily explain why the yellow-breasted one (M. abietum ) should appear to 
be the more common with us, as by far the greater proportion of animals 
that fall victims to man are those which have not arrived at full maturity. 
As martens may be expected to become gradually more scarce with the 
improvement of the country, I shall notice the localities in which I have 
had satisfactory evidence of their occurrence — well-wooded demesnes 
chiefly — but it is probable that every county in Ireland possesses this 
animal. 
In the following notes, it is generally uncertain which of the species or 
varieties is meant : — 
County 
of Donegal . . . . J. V. Stewart, Esq., notes the yellow-breasted 
marten in his catalogue of the mammalia of 
this county. 
Londonderry . . Castledawson, and near Toome Bridge. 
Antrim Glenarm Park; Glenariff; Shane’s Castle 
Park ; vicinity of Larne ; Tullamore Lodge ; 
Castle Dobbs ; and Malone House, within 
4 miles of Belfast. A pair of martens were 
discovered, some years ago, in possession of 
a magpie’s nest at the place last named. 
Down Hillsborough Park ; Tollymore Park ; Donard 
Lodge ; and Belvoir Park, where a marten 
inflicted a severe bite on the hand of a boy 
who unexpectedly found it in a magpie’s 
nest which he intended to rob. 
Armagh .... Lord Gosford’s demesne ; Tandragee and 
Churchhill. 
Fermanagh . . . Florence Court. 
Longford .... Carrickglass. 
Galway .... Connemara. 
Tipperary .... Woods about Clonmel. 
