Short-tailed Weasel 843 



There is another from which it should be carefully dis- 

 tinguished, that is the New York Weasel, or Blacktailed Weasel 

 {P. noveboracensis Emmons), familiar to many in Ontario. In 

 contrast, these are the points: 



cicognmiii has tail \ of total length; terminal \ of 

 tail, black; under parts, pure white in summer. 



noveboracensis has tail \ of total length; terminal 2 

 of tail, black; under parts, in summer, often yel- 

 low, and a brown spot back of the mouth — some- 

 times this island becomes a peninsula. This is 

 about \ larger than the preceding. For range, 

 see dotted line on map No. 45. 



Life-history. 



The range of this Weasel extends in the great coniferous range 

 forest from the Atlantic to the Pacific, thus taking in all of 

 Manitoba except the true prairie region. 



This is a forest animal, found chiefly on the ground, but envi- 

 capable of climbing, when it must, with quickness little inferior ment 

 to that of the Squirrel. Though a wood-dweller, I have seen 

 it a mile from cover on the open prairie, where it seemed very 

 much at home in the holes of the Striped Ground-squirrel 

 (C trtdecemltneatus). 



The habit of all Weasels, as far as known, is to quarter home- 

 themselves on a good cover or game range, killing everything 

 they can catch, until driven out by a stronger one or till their 

 havoc has spoiled the hunting; then they travel on in search of 

 new grounds. They will go a mile or two in a night, and ap- 

 parently without clear intention. If they find a barnyard, or a 

 promising place of any kind, they remain and slaughter as 

 before. If they be killed, the place may continue unweaselled 

 for months, but another wandering devil is likely to appear and' 

 repeat the destruction of the first. 



There is, no doubt, a limit to the wandering of the Weasel, 

 otherwise each species would be continental in range, but I do 



