Vol. XII, pp. 169-170 August 10, 1898 



PROCEEDINGS 



OF THE 



BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON 



DESCRIPTION OF A NEW WEASEL FROM THE 

 QUEEN CHARLOTTE ISLANDS, B. C. 



BY EDWARD A. PREBLE. 



Last spring I received through the kindness of Rev. J. H. 

 Keen, of Massett, Queen Charlotte Islands, a fine adult weasel 

 in alcohol. As it had not been long immersed, I skinned it at 

 once in order to preserve its color, and presented the speci- 

 men to the Biological Survey Collection in the U. S. National 

 Museum. The skin is in late winter pelage, the dark fur of the 

 summer coat just beginning to appear on the head and hack. 



I was not surprised, considering the isolated habitat, to find 

 that this weasel belonged to an undescribed species, which may 

 be characterized as follows : 



Putorius haidarum * sp. now 



Type from Massett, Queen Charlotte Islands, B. C. Skin and skull 

 No. 94430, U. S. Nat. Mus., Biological Survey Coll. Collected March 17, 

 1898, by Rev. J. H. Keen. 



Geographical distribution. — Known only from the type locality. 



General characters. — Similar in general characters to Putorius kadiacensis 

 from Kadiak Island, Alaska, hut differing in smaller size, in the increased 

 amount of black on tail, and in cranial characters; also apparently differ- 

 ing greatly in color of the summer pelage. 



Color at type.— White, slightly tinged posteriorly and beneath with saf- 

 fron yellow. Terminal portion of tail, comprising about 60 per cent, of 

 the entire length, black. Small spots of summer fur just appearing on 

 face, top of head, and back, blackish-brown. 



Crauial characters. — The skull is about the size of Putorius cicognani, but 



* Dedicated to the Haidas, the resident tribe of Indians. 

 -Biol. Soc. Wash., Vol XII, 18!i8 (169) 



