CHAPTER ELEVEN 



The Weasel, or ermine, as it is usually called in the 

 North and East, is a member of Louisiana's fur animal 

 family. That it does occur here comes as a surprise to 

 those who have made extensive and systematic studies of 

 the mammals of North America, as well as to those who 

 have but a cursory knowledge of our mammallian fauna. 

 While it is not at all plentiful, nor does its pelt or numbers 

 of them taken make it important as a fur producer here, 

 suitable attention should be paid it in this bulletin. 



The few specimens secured and sent to biologists for 

 identification were the first to be scientifically recognized 

 from Louisiana. E. Raymond Hall, curator of mammals of 

 the Museum of Vertebrate Zoology of the University of 

 California, who has made a revisionary study of the wea- 

 sels of North America, found that our weasel so differed 

 from the other geographic forms of the so-called "New 

 York weasel" (Mustela noveboracensis) , that he gave it a 

 sub-specific rank and named it according to scientific 

 nomenclature. 1 



But whether it is to be known by the Latin name, or as 

 the Louisiana weasel, this animal has been named, and 



1 Hall, E. Raymond, A New Weasel from Louisiana, Proc. Biol. Soc, 

 Washington, D. C. 



