THE GENUS MUSTELA. 61 



tive, mustelinus^ refers primarilj' to general Weasel-like quali- 

 ties ; secondarily, to the peculiar tawny color of most species 

 of Weasels in summer, and is transferable to other animals, 

 just as "foxy" signifies the peculiar red of the Common Fox. 

 For an example, familiar to ornithologists, the "tawny" thrush 

 of Wilson, Turdus ^^ mnst€linus^\ may be cited. 



This genus comprises the Martens and Sables, of which there 

 are several species, inhabiting the northern portions of both 

 Old and New Worlds, and particularly abundant in the higher 

 latitudes. Aside from the very distinct Fisher, or Pekan, Mus- 

 tela pemia7iti, peculiar to North America, the species are so 

 closely related that some authors have contended for their 

 identity. There appear, however, to be good grounds upon 

 which at least three if not four species may be established; 

 one confined to America, the rest belonging to the Old World. 

 The high commercial value of the pelts of these animals, and 

 their corresponding economic importance, has sharpened the 

 eyes of those pecuniarily interested to such degree that nu- 

 merous kinds of "sable" and "marten" are recognized by the 

 furriers; and the caprices of imperious fashion set a wholly 

 fictitious value upon slight shades of color or other variable 

 conditions of pelage, which have no zoological significance 

 whatever. The Sable par excellence is the Russian and Asiatic 

 animal, Mustela zihellina^ a variety of the common European 

 Marten, M. martes^ or a closely allied species; but, as all Sables 

 are Martens, it is perfectly proper to speak of our species, M. 

 americmiay as the American Sable or Marten. Some of its for- 

 tuitous conditions of pelage — the darker shades — represent the 

 " sable " of furriers, while in the ordinary coloration it may be 

 called by another name. The meanings of the various terms 

 employed to designate animals of this genus are more fully 

 discussed elsewhere, under heads of the several species. 



The two North American species of Mustela may be readily 

 distinguished by the following characters : — 



Analysis of the North American species of Mustela. 



Larger : length two feet or more ; tail a foot or more, the vertebrse about half 

 the length of head and body, tapering from base to point. Ears low, wide, 

 semicircular. Blackish ; lighter on fore upper parts and head ; darkest 

 below; no light throat-patch M. peyinanti. 



Smaller : length under two feet ; tail less than a foot long, the vertebrie less 

 than half the length of the body, uniformly bushy. Ears high, subtrian- 

 gular. Brown, &c.; not darker below than above; usually a large yellow- 

 ish or tawny throat-patch M. americana. 



