64 NORTH AMERICAN MUSTELID^. 



and body. The tail is cyliudric-conic, rapidly tapering to a 

 sharp point from the enlarged and bashy base. The general 

 pelage is much coarser than that of the true Martens, and 

 looser, if not longer ; it consists of the usual under fur, with 

 loDg, glossy, bristly hairs intermixed. The pelage is very short 

 on the head. 



Color. — Color is very variable, according to age, season, or 

 other fortuitous circumstances j in general, however, a particu- 

 lar pattern, if not also tone, is preserved. The animal is darker 

 below than above, at least on parts of the belly, contrary to the 

 usual rule in this group. The belly, legs, and tail, in most ma- 

 ture examples, are black or blackish-brown, and the hinder 

 part of the body above is much the same. On the rest of the 

 upper parts, however, there is a progressive lightening toward 

 the head, from increasing admixture of light brown and gray 

 shades, which colors, occupying but little, if any, of the length 

 of the hairs on the dark parts of the body, on the lighter parts 

 so increase in extent that they give the prevailing tone, over- 

 powering both the smoky-brown bases and the blackish tips of 

 the hairs. The ear has usually a light bordering. On the 

 under parts, even of the blackest individuals, are usually found 

 irregular white (not tawny or buffy) blotches on the chest, in 

 the arm-pits, and on the lower belly between the thighs. The 

 throat may also show a few white hairs, though I have never 

 observed anything like the conspicuous light gular area com- 

 monly displayed by the Marten. 



Smaller specimens before me lack much of the general black- 

 ishness above indicated ; still the feet, tail, and at least a me- 

 dian abdominal area are darker than the upper parts in general, 

 though the darkness is rather brown than black. The light 

 upper parts are pale or hoary gray, overlaid with the blackish 

 tips of the hairs. Both Richardson and Audubon note nearly 

 white specimens. 



Dimensions. — Of the full-grown animal, about 30 inches from 

 nose to root of tail (many specimens are only about 2 feet long, 

 while others a third larger than this are noted). Tail-vertebrre 

 about 14 inches (12 to 16), the terminal hairs 2 to 4 inches 

 longer. ]S"ose to eye 2 inches ; to occiput, over curve of head, 

 ()J ; ear 1 inch high, about twice as broad ; distance between 

 tips of ears 7 inches ; hind foot 4^ ; fore leg, from elbow, 6 or 

 7 inches ; hind leg, from hip, nearly 12. Individuals are said 

 to range in weight from SJ to 18 pounds. 



