22 ARKIV FÖR ZOLOOGI. BANE 8. NIO 16. 



if there really exist only one very variable, or several species, 

 and I carmot form any certain opinion about this question 

 myself. It is a well known fact that these animals vary as well 

 in size as in colour, and my material is not sufficient to permit 

 me to any decisive judgement. There is, however, a specimen 

 in this collection, an old male from »Panecillo above Quito, 

 altitude 10,000 feet», which differs so considerably from the 

 specimens mentioned above that I for the present cannot iclen- 

 tify them. It has a much longer tail which, including the hairs, 

 measures 170 mm, while that of the male regarded as affinis 

 is only 125 mm. With regard to measurements and outer 

 appearance the Weasel from Panecillo agrees with Taczanow- 

 ski's description of M. macrura (Proc. Zool. Soc. London 1874 

 p. 311), and I have therefore provisionally used this name. To 

 prove the difference from the male of M . affinis from Zambiza 

 the following cranial measurements are recorded: 



cT from d* from 



Panecillo Zambiza 



Condylo-incisive length of skull .... 49,5 mm 46 mm 



Front of canine to back molar .... 15 » 13,4 » 



Width across carnassials ..17 » 16 » 



Interorbital width 16,9 » 16,6 » 



Postorbital constriction 17 » 18 » 



It is of course possible that a greater material will prove 

 these differences to be within the limits of individual variation. 

 It is also possible, or probable that Taczanowski's M . macrura 

 is identical wity Gray's M . aureoventris. The latter name is 

 older, but preoccupied by Hodgson's auriventer given to a 

 Himalavan Weasel. 



Conepatiis quitensis Humboldt. 



Three specimens from Zambiza, Pichincha; altitude 8 — 

 11,000 feet. 



The native name is »Zorro». »Generally seen moonlight 

 nights ». 



