74 NORTH AMERICAN MUSTELID.E. 



was resumeel, but with diminislied energy on the part of the Rac- 

 coon j the animal had been soon overtaken again, and a still more 

 desperate encounter had taken place. The Coon had failed 

 fast, and it had at length become merely a running fight, when 

 both animals had entered a swamp where it was impossible for 

 me to trace them further; but I have no doubt the Coon was 

 killed. 1 have witnessed similar engagements between the 

 Mink and Musk rat, the Weasel and House Rat, always ending 

 in the death of the assaulted. The Fisher has been nearly 

 extinct in these parts for about twenty-five years, and this to 

 my mind accounts for the great increase in numbers of the 

 Raccoon." 



INTERPOLATED MATTER RELATING TO THE EXOTIC MUSTEL^, 

 MM. MARTES, FOINA, AND ZIBELLINA. 



Before entering upon the discussion of the intimate relationships of the 

 American Sable or Pine Marten with its extralimital allies, some notice of 

 the latter seems to be required in order to a better understanding of the in- 

 tricate questions concerned. I accordingly present the three exotic species, 

 Trith such remarks as seem called for and as I am able to offer. The ma- 

 terial before me indicates, with little hazard of error, that the American 

 form is specifically distinct from both the Beech Marten and the Pine Marten 

 of Europe. Its relationships with the Asiatic Sable seem to be closer, but 

 these I am unable to discuss satisfactorily, owing to lack of specimens of the 

 Asiatic animal. 



Kote,— "Much of the synonymy relating to these exotic species has been rather summa- 

 rily compiled at second hand, and should be taken with the allowance for " probable error " 

 Tvhich usually obtains in such cases. 



1. The Eiiropeaai Pine iHai^teii. 



Mastela niartes. 



Plate III. 



Martes, Antiquonnn.—Aldrov. Quad. Digit. 1645. 33l.—Charlet. Esercit. 1677, 20.—Wagn. 



Helvet. 16c0, 1'^l.—^iW. Scots. lUust. 1684, ii. 11.— ^^acz. Polon. 17-21, 22-2 ; 1736, 314.— 



Linn. S. X. i. 2d ed. 1740, 44 Jonst. Theatr. Quad. 1755, pi. 64. 



Martes SjivestriS, Gesn. Quad. 1551, 865, fig Jonst. Theatr. Quad. 1755, 156. 



Martes arborea, Schwenckf. Theriotroph. 1603, 110. 



Martes in arboribus, Agric. Anim. Subter. 1614, 38. 



Martes abtetum, Ray, Syn. Quad. 1693, 200.— Klein, Quad. 1751, 6i— Fleming, Br. An. 182d, 



14.— Bell, Brit. Quad. 1837, 174 ; 2d ed. 1874, 217— Gerr. Cat. Bones. Br. Mus. 1862, 90.— 



Gray, List Mamm. Br. Mus. 1843, 63; P. Z. S. 1865, 104 ; Cat. Cam. Br. Mus. 1869, 81.— 



Fitz. Xaturg. Saug. i. 1861, 325, f. 67. 

 Martes abietam vars. martes, vulgaris, aliaica, Gray, P. Z. S. 1865, 104; Cat. Cam. Br. 



Mus. 1869, 82 (but obviously not Mustela altaica Pall., which is a Putorius). 

 MMStela fulTO uigrloaiis, giila pallida, Linn. Fn. Suec. 1st ed. 1746, 3, no. 7 ; Syst Nat. ed. 



6th, 1743, 5, no. 2.— Hill, Hist. An. 1752, 546, pi. 21.—Kram. Elench. An. 1756, 311. 



