October, 1841.] 95 



parts of the fore legs, the sides and the thighs, and tapering off to a point 

 at the tarsus. The white on the lower surface is not mixed with brown 

 hairs, as in the Mustela vulgaris, but extends lower down on the legs. Of 

 the colour of this species, in winter, we cannot speak with positive certain- 

 ty, but feel pretty confident that it is the same as in summer, and that it 

 does not (at least in the latitude of New York) become white in winter. 

 We, many years ago, kept several young Ermines in confinement, as well as 

 one of this species. The Ermines all became white in winter, although some 

 of them were not fully grown ; the present species underwent no change in 

 colour, but remained brown during the whole winter. On another occa- 

 sion, a specimen of a brown Weasel was brought to us in the month of 

 December, which had been caught in a trap. At that season, the Ermines 

 are uniformly white. A Weasel exists in the Southern States, and is found 

 as far south as the upper parts of South Carolina and Georgia. It has 

 always been represented to us as never becoming white in winter ; and 

 although we possess no specimens at present, we are inclined to regard it 

 as this species. 



Dimensions of specimens before us, of the three species referred to above: 



Length of head and body, 

 Tail vertebra?, 

 Including fur, 

 Height of ear, posteriorly, 



The specimen of the American Brown Weasel, described above, was ob- 

 tained at Long Island, in the month of May. 



We subjoin a description of another species of Mustela, which, although 

 recently made known to naturalists by Dr. Lichtenstein, of Berlin, who re- 

 ceived his specimens from the vicinity of the city of Mexico, was not 

 hitherto known to exist as far north as the locality from which we ob- 

 tained it. We agree with Swainson, Lichtenstein, Dr. Richardson, and 

 the most eminent European naturalists, that America divides itself into 

 three natural zoological boundaries : the first including our whole coun- 

 try from the farthest north, to the tropic of Cancer, where the tropical 

 forms commence, to be called North America ; the second, including the 

 Tropics, called Central or Tropical America; the third, South America, 

 including all that region lying south of 33 J south latitude. The southern 

 points of Florida and California will, in this case, be the southern bound- 

 ary of our North American Fauna. Our specimen was received from North 

 California about latitude 40. 



Mustela frenata. (Licht.) Bridled Weasel. 



Mustela frenata. Licht. Darstellung neur oder wenig bekaunter saug- 

 thiere von Dr. Lichenstein, Berlin, 1827 1834. 



M. (Frenata.) Vellere supra fulvo ; subtus albo-flavo; capite macula 

 consperso ; fronte fascia circumdata ; gutture albo. 



Bridled Weasel. Size of Mustela erminia; colour, fawn above, yellow- 

 ish white beneath ; ears and nose dark brown ; a spot on the head, a band 

 above the eyes, and the throat white. 



Form. In shape, this species bears a strong resemblance to that of the 

 Ermine. It appears to be somewhat shorter. The toes and nails are more 

 thinly clothed with fur; the ears are narrower and longer. 



Colour. The nose, sides of the face to above the eyes, and the ears are 

 dark brown: end of the tail black; a small spot on the head, between the 

 ears; the forehead, abroad line extending beneath the ears; the chin and 

 the throat white. The whole upper surface is a light fawn colour ; be- 

 neath, yellowish white. 



Dimensions 



Length of the head and body, 11 inch. 6 lines. 

 Do. tail, 5 " 6 " 



Do. to the end of hair, 6 " 4 " 



Height of ear, posteriorly, " 4 " 



