cf ike District of Montreal, 295 



Fam. Camivora, — Tribe 2nd. Bigitigrada, 

 Gen, Mustela. — Sub gen, Putorius, 



Sub gen. char. Incisors ||, canines ||, molars || to |f r= 34 

 to 38. Head small; ears short and round; body long and slen- 

 der; legs short; toes 5 ; an anal follicular gland containing a ran- 

 cid faetid secretion. 



M, erminea. Ermine. 



V.S.P. et M. Length 10 to 13 inches. Summer pelage, 

 reddish brown, deeper on the head and nose ; abdomen, interior 

 of legs, thighs, and the whole feet yellowish white ; tip of tail 

 black. There is occasionally a slight yellow tinge on the abdo- 

 men ; claws concealed by the hair ; whiskers black ; tail long and 

 cylindrical, 4 to 5 inches ; ears short and round circumventing 

 the meatus auditorius. 



M, vulgaris. Weasel. 



V.S.P. Length of body 9 inches ; of tail 2j inches. Sum- 

 mer pelage yellowish brown, deeper on head, and white on ab- 

 domen ; under jaw, half of upper lip, as far as the orbit, pure 

 white ; tail coloured like the black, tipjied at its extremity with 

 blackish brown. This species has a flatter forehead, a longer 

 nose, and a shorter tail than the ermine. 



M. lutreola. Mink. 



Mus visoUt 



Mus putorius, Gmelin & Linnaeus ! ! 



v.s.p. Length 17 inches. Colour of upper fur umber 

 brown and glossy ; of the under fur brownish grey ; upper pelage 

 paler on the head and belly, and deepening as it approaches the 

 tail ; lower jaw white, with inconstant white markings on the 

 throat ; (I have seen in several instances a broad white band 

 stretching from the lower jaw to the breast.) Whiskers black ; 

 body long ; legs short and muscular ; toes 5 with strong black 

 hooked claws ; two brown coloured glands between the tuberosi^ 

 ties of the ischium and tail secreting a very faetid matter. 



Sub genus Mustela, 

 M, martis. Pine martin. 

 M, Americana, Baird ! 



V.S.P. Length 18 inches; tail 10 inches. Fur fulvous 

 brown beneath, brown near the summit with black tips; that of 

 the tail longer, coarser, and almost black. In summer the fiir 



