gusting rankness, which distinguishes the other species of this Genus, as the Polecat, &c.; the Fur is valuable, and much used to line or trim the Gowns of Magistrates, Aldermen, &c. The Martin lives in the woods, and in winter very often shelters itself in Magpies nets; breeds in the hollows of trees, and brings from four to six young ones at a time; they are brought forth with their Eyes unopened, but quickly arrive at a state of perfection; the Female has but a small quantity of milk in proportion to her size, but she amply compensates for this natural defect by bringing home eggs and live birds to her offspring, thus early habituating them to a life of carnage and plunder: so soon as the young are able to leave the nest, they are led by the Dam through the woods, where the Birds at once recognize their Enemies, and fail not to attend them, as they do the Fox, with every mark of animosity and terror. When taken young, the Martin is easily tamed, is extremely playful and good humoured; its attachment however is not to be relied on if it gets loose, for it will immediately take advantage of its liberty, and retire to the woods, its natural haunts. A Farmer in the parish of Terling, in Essex, was famous for taming this animal, and had seldom less than two. Some years since, one used to run tame about the kitchen of the Bald-faced Stag Inn, on Epping Forest.

M. BUFFON affirms of a Martin that he had tamed, (it should seem but imperfectly,) that it drank frequently, sometimes slept two days successively, at other times continued as long awake; when prepar

ing for sleep, it folded itself round, covering its head with its tail. He describes its motions as so violent, incessant, and troublesome, that it was necessarily kept chained. After escaping from its fetters, and returning once or twice, it at last went entirely away.

The pine Martin, (whose skin is considered of a far superior quality to the common,) which is distinguished by a yellow throat and breast, and of which such numbers are sold at the Hudson's Bay Company's sales; (at one of which 12,370 good skins, and 2360 damaged ones, were sold; and about the same time the French brought into the port of Rochelle, from Canada, no less than 30,325 skins;) is sometimes found in Wales, in the counties of Merioneth and Carnarvon; and in Scotland it is the only kind of Martin, where it inhabits the Fir forests, frequently usurping the Drays or nest of the Squirrel, building its own nest at the top of the trees, and produces seven or eight young at a birth.

The Martin's food is poultry, game, and small birds; it will eat mice, rats, and moles, and is said to feed also on grain, and to be extremely fond of honey. It is said to be a great enemy to Cats, and will even attack the wild Cat, which, although much stronger, is always worsted and often killed in the Combat, and a Contest is sure to take place whenever they meet.

The scent of the Martin is very sweet to Hounds, and it is the best animal to enter young Foxhounds at. The Martin, by running the thickest bushes it can find, teaches Hounds to run Cover, which is of

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infinite service to them; when closely pursued, it climbs a tree, and its Agility is astonishing, for though it falls frequently from a tree into the midst of a pack of Hounds, each intent on catching it, the instances are very few of a Martin's being caught by them in that situation. They are not found in any great numbers; the most ever met with by the Compiler, was in the large woods near Rayleigh, in Essex.

They attack the Pheasants when at roost, and make great havock. The steel trap baited with a piece of a Pheasant or Wood Pigeon, will generally be successful. Some prefer the Box trap, (such as is used in Warrens,) which should be baited with a bird in the Centre, and the feathers strewed through the inside of the trap, from one end to the other. But a more certain way of catching them, in a Park or Cover paled in, is the following: as they constantly run the pales and posts to dry themselves in the morning, have a groove cut in some of the posts or gate posts where they run, sufficient to contain a strong hawk or rat trap; the trap must be set in this groove without a bait, in leaping upon the place they are sure to be taken; a small chain should be fixed to the trap and fastened to the post.

The common house Cat, turned wild, is another mortal foe to Pheasants, and does more mischief than many sorts of naturally wild vermin. In Moulsham Thrift, a large cover belonging to Sir H. ST. JOHN MILDMAY, sixteen of these animals were killed by a pack of Foxhounds in four days drawing the cover for Fox. They may be destroyed in traps like

the Martin; but the bait must be sprinkled with Valerian, and if the hutch or box trap be used, Valerian should be scattered in and about the trap, which will certainly allure them, for of this drug they are immoderately fond.

Another way to take either the Wild or the Polecat, is to set box traps in the bottom of ditches, or under walls or pales, with the ends of the traps fenced up, for four or five yards aslant, and two or three yards wide at the entrance, with earth, bushes, or broken pales, so that the Vermin shall not pass without entering the traps; this is the method used by Warreners. When the traps are so placed, a trail of Rabbits paunches should be drawn from one trap to another, and the baits Red herrings half broiled. Each end of the traps is to be rubbed with them, and a part of the Herring is to be afterwards hung upon the nail over the bridges of the traps. This is a mode that will cause great destruction amongst them. A thin bag, sufficiently large to admit an end of the trap, is to be provided and slipt over it, when any of the traps are sprung, and by rattling at the other end of the trap the Creature will spring into the bag; for without this precaution, if it be a wild Cat, the moment the light is admitted, it will fly in the face of the person opening it. By having both ends of the box traps painted white, and rubbed over with the Entrails of any animal, the Hares will be deterred from entering, at the same time it will allure the vermin to go into the traps.

Badger.

No Animal has suffered more from vulgar prejudices than the Badger: harmless in his nature, he seems to have had the character of ferocity given to him, merely because he is a beast of great strength, and is furnished with strong teeth, as if formed to live by rapine; he is, however, found to be an animal perfectly inoffensive; he is charged with destroying Lambs and Rabbits, but roots, fruits, grass, insects, and frogs, are his food. Nature has denied the Badger the speed requisite to escape its enemies, but has supplied it with such weapons of defence, that scarcely any creature will attack it; few animals defend themselves better, or bite harder; when pursued, it soon comes to bay, and fights with great obstinacy: the Badger is very tenacious of life, yet a small blow on the Snout is mortal both to him and the Otter.

The usual length of the Badger is two feet six inches, exclusive of the tail, which is barely six inches long, and covered with long hairs, the same colour as those of the body; the weight from fifteen to thirty-four pounds; the last is rare, but in the winter of 1779, Mr. PENNANT had a male Badger of that weight: the eyes are very small; the ears short and rounded, the neck thick, and the whole shape