134 
CARNIVORA. 
MUSTELtE, or martens. 
The following animals, which are martens, strictly 
speaking, differ from the polecat family in having 
generally four carnivorous teeth, instead of three, 
in addition to the molar tooth, in the upper jaw, and 
four below. The last lower carnivorous tooth has a 
rounded lobe on the inner side, which fits them some- 
thing less perfectly for a carnivorous regimen, and 
enables them, in the same ratio, to masticate vege- 
table matter, and consequently indicates a slight di- 
minution in the cruelty and ferocity of their nature. 
Their muzzle is rather large, and their claws sharp, 
and slightly retractile. 
Every remove in the works of nature is by a gentle 
gradation, and nothing is abrupt; and although these 
gradations are observable in different groups of the 
weasels, it is hardly to be expected, that the cha- 
racter of each will differ from its preceding subdi- 
vision very apparently. They are only to be ob- 
served by minute inspection, which is equally ne- 
cessary to discover their consequences ; and the 
means of the latter investigation are much less in 
our power than the former. If the cruel experiment 
were to be tried of keeping the polecat and marten 
without animal food, and on vegetables only, pro- 
bability indicates, that the latter would be the sur- 
vivor. 
