512 bulletin: museum of comparative zoology. 



Skull, Type adult cf (not old), basal length, 45.2; occipitonasal 

 length, 42.4; zygomatic width, 25.; mastoid width, 21.2; inter- 

 orbital width, 10.4; width across postorbital processes, 12.; least 

 width behind postorbital process, 10.8; length of palate, to end of 

 pterygoid process, 24.8; to palatal notch, 18.; length of single half 

 of mandible, 238. 



Remarks: — The Weasel is one of the few Newfoundland mammals 

 that undoubtedly is only a subspecies. Weasels are not at all averse 

 to crossing large sheets of water in winter on the ice. I have heard of 

 their being seen doing this, several times. Mr. W. S. Brooks, an ex- 

 cellent observer, once when standing on the shore of a large frozen 

 lake in Alberta noticed a little object coming toward him like a black 

 feather being blown rapidly across the smooth ice. When it reached 

 shore he found it to be a little white weasel, that had made the 

 passage of the lake on the ice and whose black-tipped tail alone he 

 had seen. 



In this connection, I have just been over with the greatest care, an 

 immense series of weasels of the cicognanii group including a fine lot of 

 M. cicognanii richardsonii some of which are from the actual type 

 locality, kindly loaned by the Bureau of biological survey of Wash- 

 ington. The bulk of the specimens from the Labrador peninsula 

 are referable to true M. cicognanii as are all from Lake Edward, 

 Quebec. Some specimens from Black Bay and L'Aure au Loup, 

 Labrador are, however, perfectly intermediate between that form 

 and the Newfoundland weasel, and one young adult male 1 from the 

 former place, is, so far as I can make out quite the same as M. cicognanii 

 mortigena. I am therefore rather inclined to believe that there is 

 occasionally an actual interchange of individuals between Newfound- 

 land and the parts of Labrador nearest to it. The Weasel is very 

 common in Newfoundland and preys upon the Vole, which occurs in 

 unlimited numbers. 



The Newfoundland otter, Lutra degener Bangs, is an exceedingly 

 well characterized island species, differing in many respects, though 

 most of all, in its weak, small skull with very slender zygoma. It is 

 not very common, and of course is peculiar to Newfoundland. 



The Newfoundland lynx, Lynx subsolarius Bangs was formerly 

 exceedingly scarce, but since the introduction of the American hare 



i No. 7980 Coll. E. A. & O. Bangs, young adult c?, skin and skull, Black Bay. 

 Labrador. E. Doane, Sept. 22, 1898. Total length, 336; tail vert. 95; hind foot 42. 



