a tame female ferret, which was permitted to go about the houfe: at length it abfented itself for feveral days; and on its return proved with young: it produced nine, of a deep brown color, more refembling the fitchet than the ferret. What makes the matter more. certain is, that Mr. Lewis had no male of this fpecies for it to couple with; neither was there any within three miles, and those closely confined. The ferret agrees with the fitchet in many respects, particularly in its thirst after the blood of rabbets. It may be added, that the ferret comes originally from Africa*; and is only cultivated in Great Britain. Though the smell of the fitchet, when alive, is rank and disagreeable, even to a proverb; yet the skin is dreft with the hair on, and used as other furs for tippets, &c. and is also fent abroad to line cloaths. 15. MARTIN. Martes, alias Foyna. The Martin and Martlet. Raii fyn. quad. 200. Martin, or Martern. Charlton exer. 20. Gefner quad. 764. colore terminatis veftita, gutture albo. De Buffon, Tom. vii. 161. Tab. 18. M. fulvo-nigricans gula pallida. Faun. Mustela pilis in exortu albidis caftaneo Br. Zool. 38. Syn. quad. No. 154. MANNERS. Span. Marta, Gibellina HIS is the most beautifull of the British beafts of TH prey its head is fmall, and elegantly formed: its eyes lively and all * Kài yanas argías as n aucun pegel, Strabo, Lib. iii. p. 144. Edit. Cafaubon. its motions fhew great grace, as well as agility: when taken young, it is easily tamed, is extremely playful, and in conftant good humour nature will recur, if it gets loofe; for it will immediately take advantage of its liberty, and retire to its proper haunts. It makes great havoke among poultry, game, &c. and will eat mice, rats, and moles. With us it inhabits woods, and makes its lodge in the hollows of trees; and brings from four to fix young at a time. The martin is about eighteen inches long; the tail ten, or, if DESCRIP. the measurement be taken to the end of the hair at the point, twelve inches. The ears are broad, rounded and open: the back, fides, and tail, are covered with a fine thick down, and with long hair intermixed the bottom is afh-colored: the middle of a bright chefnut color: the tips black: the head brown, with fome flight cast of red: the legs and upper fides of the feet are of a chocolate color: the palms, or under fides, 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 conftant refidence. The throat and breast are white: the belly of the fame 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 in that part is alfo darker. But martins vary in their colors, inclining more or lefs to ash-color, according to their ages or the feafons they are taken in. The skin and excrements of this animal have a fine musky fcent; FINE SMELL. and are entirely free from that rankness which distinguishes the other fpecies of this genus: the fkin is a valuable fur; and much used for linings to the gowns of magiftrates. Martes 16. PINE MARTIN. FUR. TH Swed. HIS fpecies is found in Great Britain; but is much less common in England than the former: it is fometimes taken in the counties of Merioneth and Caernarvon, as I was informed by my late worthy friend Mr. W. Morris, where it is distinguished from the other kind, by the name of bela goed, or wood martin, it being supposed entirely to inhabit the woods; the bela graig to dwell only among the rocks. Tho' this is fo rare in these parts, yet in Scotland it is the only kind; where it inhabits the fir forefts, building its nest at the top of the trees *. It loves a cold climate, and is found in much greater numbers in the north of Europe, than in the other parts. North America abounds with these animals. Prodigious numbers of their skins are annually imported from Hudson's bay and Canada. In one of the company's fales + not fewer than 12,370 good skins, and 2360 damaged ones were fold; * Vide Sibbald's Hift. Scot. Part II. Lib. iii. p. 11. + In 1743. Vide Dobbs's account of Hudson's bay, 200. and |