MAMMALS MUSTELID^E POTOEI US LONGIOAUDA. 



MUSTELIDAE. 



Subfamily MARTINAE. 



Genus PUTORIUS, Cuvier. 



PUTOEIUS LONG1GAUDA. 



Long-tailed Ermine. 



? Mustela longicauda, BP., Charlesw. Mag., 1838, 38. GRAY, List Mamin. Br. Mus., 195. 



IPutorius longicauda, EICH., Zccil. Beecbey's Voy., 18o9, 10* (in text). 



Putoiius longicauda, BD., Mamm. N". A., 1857, 1G9. SUOKLEY, P. E. E. Eep., xii, pt. 



ii, 1859, 93, 114. HAYD., Tr. Amer. Phil. Soc., xii, 1862, 142. (?)Eoss, 



Canad. Nat. & Geol., vi, 1801, 441. 



Specimens. 



The above specimens are interesting as demonstrating a more southerly 

 range of the species than is generally recognized, and as showing some 

 characters not exhibited by the typical form from the Missouri and Yellow- 

 stone plains. 



In his monograph of this family, now about publishing, Dr. Coues has 

 shown that the present species is distinct from P. erminea, to which it had 

 usually been referred with doubt, and that, moreover, its closest relationships 

 are with the Bridled Weasel (P. Irasiliensis, vai: frenatus). It shares with the 

 last the peculiar rusty-red or salmon-colored (instead of clear sulphury, as 

 in P. erminea) under parts. Now, these New Mexican skins show another 

 decided approach to P. frenatus in darkening of the head ; this part being 

 as dark as it is in P. xantliogenys, which is merely the northernmost Pacific 

 extension of P. frenatus. Were white spots present in these skins, they 

 would unhesitatingly be referred to P. frenatus by any naturalist ; and we 

 know that, in undoubted specimens of the latter from Mexico and Central 

 America, the peculiar facial markings ai'e not seldom extinguished. The 

 specimens are strong proof of the correctness of Dr. Coues's view that P. 

 longicauda should be compared with frenatus and not with erminea. 



