2 52| The Ohio Naturalist. [Vol. V, No. 3, 



sex of the specimen is male, as was ascertained at the time it was 

 mounted. It measured just six inches (152 mm.) in length for 

 the head and body; the tail one inch, or. including the longest 

 hairs, an inch and a quarter, making the total length seven and a 

 quarter inches (184 mm.). In size this is the smallest of the 

 weasels, and therefore of the carnivores. 



The nomenclature of the weasels has been in great confusion 

 for several reasons. The animals are nowhere very abundant, 

 and the collections have been rather meager and carelessly made. 

 The great disparity in size between the sexes makes the positive 

 determination of the sex an essential matter in order to interpret 

 correctly the measurements. The most thorough revision of the 

 species is that of Mr. Outram Bangs, f published in 1896. Up to 

 that date there were only two species recognized as belonging to 

 our northern Ohio region, namely: 



The New York Weasel, Putorius noveboracensis Emmons. 



Bonaparte's Weasel, P. cicognani (Bonaparte). 



The New York Weasel has a total length in the male of sixteen 

 inches, and in the female of thirteen inches. Bonaparte's weasel 

 measures eleven inches in the male and nine inches in the female. 

 Both of these species have black tips to their tails both summer 

 and winter. It is clear, therefore, that our specimen can not 

 belong to either of the commonly recognized species. 



In the year 1901, Mr. Samuel N. Rhoads published f a descrip- 

 tion of a much smaller species from a few specimens taken in the 

 vicinity of Pittsburgh, Pa., giving it the name of Putorius allc- 

 gheniensis. Our specimen agrees in dimensions with this species, 

 and falls in with two other specific characters which may be 

 mentioned, viz:, (1) the tip of the tail is never black, but of the 

 same color as the rest of the body. (2) the two sexes are essen- 

 tially of the same size. 



Hitherto only seven specimens of this Alleghenian weasel have 

 been brought to the notice of scientific men and placed on record 

 in publications. These were all from Washington and Allegheny 

 counties in Pennsylvania, and Jefterson county, Ohio. Six of 

 these specimens were exhibited together at the February meeting 

 of the Pittsburgh Academy of Science and Art, by Mr. Frederic 

 S. Webster, who gives an account of the meeting in the issue of 

 Science for May 27th last. Our specimen constitutes the eighth 

 and extends the range of the species towards the shores of Lake 

 Erie. 



It IS hardly possible that this should be so rare a species as 

 the present figures would indicate. Other specimens have doubt- 



t A Review of the Weasels of Eastern North America, by Outram Bangs. Proc. Biol. 

 Soc. Washington Vol X, pp. 1-24, Feb., 1896. 



t Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci Phila. for 1900. Issued Feb. 7, 1901. Also Rhoads, Mammals 

 of Penn. and New Jersey p. 173. 1903. 



