WEASEL FAMILY 



125 



BRIDLED WEASEL 



Mustela frenata Lichtcnstein 



General Description. — See general description for 

 Arctic Weasel. Larger in size ; tail longer and pattern 

 of coloration distinctly different; color in general dark 

 chestnut brown to black, with conspicuous white patch 

 across forehead ; below, ochraceous yellow to orange. 



Dental Formula. — Same as given for Arctic Weasel. 



Pelage. — Adults : Same pelage in winter as in 

 summer. Top of head varying from dark chestnut 

 brown to black; rest of upper parts rich brown; band 

 across forehead including eyes and extending back to 



ear white; chin and throat whitish; rest of under parts 

 ochraceous yellow to orange ; front feet to above 

 wrists whitish yellow to orange; inner sides of hind 

 legs and hind feet yellow or orange ; tail like back 

 above and below, with restricted black tip. 



Measurements. — Male, 18 to 20 inches ; tail, 7 to 8 

 inches ; hind foot, 2 inches. 



Range. — Southern Texas into Mexico. 



Food. — Small mammals and birds, anything that it 

 can capture. 



The Bridled Weasel lives at the other ex- 

 treme of our country from the Ermine. While 

 the latter ranges from the Canadian border to 

 the Arctic coast, thus deriving its name of Arctic 

 Weasel, the Bridled Weasel is found principally 

 along our southern border and in the interior of 

 Mexico. 



It is a handsome little beast with tawny coat, 

 as befits its life in a warmer zone, but it appar- 

 ently has lost none of the activity of its northern 

 cousin. The coat is a rich chestntit, shaded with 

 dull brown or black, and, unlike the northern 

 varieties, it does not turn white in winter. Where 

 it lives, with winter almost devoid of snow, there 

 is no need of this change, and Nature does not 

 believe in doing useless things. 



The Bridled \\'easel is about eighteen inches 

 long, sometimes longer, and is thus one of the 

 largest species. Like other Weasels it is blood- 

 thirsty, pursuing rodents and birds relentlessly. 



It pays no attention to other food, and is especi- 

 ally noted for its ferocity. Indeed, if such 

 Weasels were of larger size they wotild be among 

 the most dreaded of animals. 



By permission of the U. S. Biological Survey 

 BRIDLED WEASEL 

 Drawing of head, showing characteristic markings from which 

 this animal gets its name 



LEAST, OR PYGMY WEASEL 

 Mustela rixosa [Bangs) 



General Description. — See Arctic Weasel. Smallest 

 of the Weasels and smallest living carnivore. Tail 

 without black tip and very short. 



Dental Formula. — Same as Arctic Weasel. 



Pelage. — Summer, upper parts reddish-brown, lower 

 parts, white. Winter, entirely white. 



Measurements.— Males, 7 inches long; females, 6 

 inches long. 



Range.— Arctic America from Alaska to Hudson 

 Bay, and south to Minnesota and Montana. 



Food.— Strictly carnivorous. Small mammals and 

 birds wherever found. 



The Pygmy, or Least Weasel, is so-called 

 because it is the smallest of the Weasels and 

 the smallest of all flesh-eating mammals. Be- 

 cause of its flesh diet it is exceedingly fierce, 

 being known to attack animals nearly twice its 

 size without provocation. 



The Pygmy Weasel is only seven inches long, 

 or less. In color it is reddish brown on the 

 back and white on the belly. In winter it is 

 entirely white. Its tail lacks the usual black tip 

 which marks the Ermine. It ranges over the 

 greater part of Canada from the coast of Alaska 



