Ii8 



MAMMALS OF AMERICA 



they caught the Fisher in their traps only by 

 night." 



In its chiefly nocturnal and largely arboreal 

 habits the Fisher Marten resembles most of the 

 other members of the group: its agility in the 

 forests is, however, very remarkable, and when 

 much frightened, or in pursuit of prey, it has 

 been known to leap from tree to tree. The nest, 



as before stated, is usually built in the hole of a 

 tree at a great height above ground ; the yoimg 

 being generally born at the end of April or begin- 

 ning of May. 



The Fisher is trapped for its skins in the 

 northern parts of America from October till 

 May, those captured in the early i)art of the 

 season being in the best condition. 



ARCTIC WEASEL 

 Mustela (^Putorius) arctica t Mrrriain) 



Other Names. — Ermine. Stoat. 



General Description. — A very small, slender and 

 long-bodied Carnivore. Legs short; tail long, moder- 

 ately bushy, black at the tip ; ears of moderate size ; 

 soles haired ; general color in summer, yellowish-brown 

 above, under parts yellow ; in waiter white everywhere 

 except for black tipped tail. Females much smaller 

 than males. 



Dental Formula. — Incisors, 



3—3 

 irzi = 34- 



Canines, 



Premolars. — — ; Molars, 



3 — 3 -— .= 



Pelage. — Adults: Summer. Upper parts and upper 

 lip dark yellowish brown ; chin white ; under parts, 

 inner sides of limbs, fore feet and under side of tail 

 deep ochraceous yellow : tail above like body except for 

 terminal half which is black. H'iittcr. Everywhere 

 white except for black pencil on tail. Pelage made up 

 of two coats, long hard hairs and a shorter, softer coat 

 of uiiderfur. 



Measurements. — Length, male, 15 inches; tail, 7 

 inches ; hind foot. 2 inches. Females about one-seventh 

 smaller. 



Range. — Arctic coast and tundras. 



Food. — Strictly carnivorous, principal diet mice, 

 hares and small birds. 



Remarks. — Nearly all the Weasels have the same 

 general type of coloration and practically all found in 

 regions of moderate to heavy annual snow fall turn 

 white in winter ; only those found in warm regions 

 retain throughout the year the brown summer coat. 

 This group is a large one and contains many forms 

 differing from one another in color, size and internal 

 structure. In all some thirty species and sub-species 

 of Weasels are now recognized by the best authorities, 



but only a few of the more distinct and well-known 

 species are listed below. 



Rel.\ted Species 



Arctic Weasel. — Mustela arctica arctica (Merriam). 

 One of the larger Weasels. See description above. 

 -Arctic coast and tundras. 



Bonaparte's Weasel. — Mustela cico<juaiiii cicoy- 

 nanii Bonaparte. Size small; tail short. Forested 

 North America from New England and Labrador to 

 coast of southeastern Alaska, south into Rocky Moun- 

 tains to Colorado. 



Richardson's Weasel. — Mustela cicoiinanii rieliard- 

 sonii (Bonaparte). Larger than Bonaparte's Weasel. 

 Timbered belt from Hudson Bay to interior of Alaska 

 and r.riti>h Culunibia. 



Mountain Weasel. — Mustela arizoiieusis (Mearnsl. 

 Similar to New York Weasel. Sierra Nevada and 

 Rocky ^Mountains froin Arizona into British Columbia. 



Long-tailed Weasel. — Mustela lougicaiiiia loiuji- 

 cauda Bonaparte. Size large, tail long. Great 

 Plains from Kansas northward. 



Cascade Weasel. — Mustela saturata (Merriam). 

 Color dark. Cascade and Siskiyou Mountains of Ore- 

 gon and Washington northward into British Columbia. 



Yellow-throated Weasel. — Mustela xaiithoyenys 

 xanthogeiixs Gray. Size large, white spot on head 

 and between eye and ear. Sierra Nevada, southern 

 California. 



New York Weasel. — Mustela iioveboraccnsis novc- 

 boraceiisis (Emmons). See description below. 



Bridled Weasel. — Mustela frenata frenata Lichten- 

 stein. See description below. 



Least Weasel, or Pygmy Weasel. — Mustela rixosa 

 ri.vosa (Bangs). See description below. 



The \\'easel tribe is numerous and widely dis- 

 tributed, both in this country and in Europe. It 

 contains members diflfering greatly in size, color 

 and structure. In size it. ranges from the New 

 York Weasel, about sixteen inches long, to the 

 Pygmy \\'easel, about seven inches. There are, 

 in fact, some thirty species and stib-species now 

 recognized, but the general habits are similar. 



Wherever found, it is a bold and inquisitive 



animal, exhibiting but little fear of man. and 

 poking out its nose from some hole or cranny 

 with the greatest indifference and self-possession. 

 In spite, however, of this cttriosity, the AA'easel 

 is ever on the alert to withdraw its head at the 

 slightest symptom of attack. Its normal gait is 

 a series of small leaps, stopping at intervals to 

 take a careful survey of its stUTOundings, and 

 not unfrequently rising on its haunches to obtain 



