162 BULLETIN OF THE 



well as in different districts, have been very perplexing, and have given 

 rise to a considerable number of supposed species and a very great 

 number of "varieties," the alleged distinctions between which are quite 

 uncertain and inconstant. Some of these variations are doubtless refer- 

 able to seasonal changes,* and not a few others to individual peculiarities. 

 Dr. Gray admits six species as inhabitants of the North Old World,f 

 several of which he divides into three to five varieties each. To a 

 few of them only, however, does he assign separate geographical districts ; 

 in general they vary in such a way as to render the forms recognized bv 

 him as species quite intangible, the varieties forming gradations between 

 them. Two of the three attributed to Japan (Martes japonica and M. 

 brachywa) rest on exceedingly unsatisfactory data, while the third (Af. 

 melanopus) has a striking resemblance to the common form of the Ameri- 

 can species, and to varieties of both the so-called M. abietum and M. 

 zibellina of Europe and Asia. Aside from these divisions of Dr. Gray. 

 three principal races or forms (species of many writers) have for a long 

 time been recognized as occurring on the Eastern continent, — the sable 

 (Mustela zibellina Linn.), the pine marten (M. martes Linn.), and the 

 beech marten (M. foina Brisson ; .1/. martes, var. fagorum Linn.). The 

 principal distinctions between them consist in the relative length of 

 the tail, which varies in being sometimes longer, equal to, or shorter than 

 the body, and in the color, which varies in general tint, and differently 

 in the different regions of the animal, and especially on the throat, 

 which is sometimes white, or nearly so. but more commonly yellowish or 

 yellowish-brown ; occasionally the " throat patch " is nearly obsolete. The 

 color of the head is sometimes like that of the body, and again much 

 lighter; the general color varies from blackish through different shades of 

 brown to light yellowish brown and whitish. But instead of either of 

 these differences being limited, or peculiar, to either '-species," "variety." 

 or race, or to special localities,* they are all given by Dr. Gray under 

 the five divisions of his fifth species, — " Mustela zibellina Linn." ; 

 while he says of his M. abietum, var. altaira, that it is " intermediate be- 

 tween M. abietum and M. zibellina: but the feet are not so hairy"!* 

 Brandt, in his Beitriige Siiugtheire Russlandt, recognizes three species. 

 The American animal (M. americana auct.) he considers as a yellowish 

 or more yellowish-brown and less densely furred variety of the Asiatic 

 sable than as a pure marten (AT. martes), and calls it Mustela zibellina, 

 var. americana. 



Dr. Gray of course regards the American as distinct, and divides it 

 into three, varieties, — abietinoides, huro, and leucojni<. -which seem to 

 vary only in intensity of color, the first being' " black-brown," the s< 



* See postea, pp. 165-167. f Proc. Lond. Zoijl. Soc, 1865, p. 104. 



