78 NORTH AMERICAN MUSTELID.E. 



Martes foilia, Bell, Brit. Quad. 1837, 167: 2d ed. 1874, '208.— Gray, List Mamm. Br. Mas. 

 1843. 63; P. Z. S. 1865, 108; Cat. Caru. Br. Mus. 186y, S6.—Uerr. Cat. Boues Br. Mus. 

 1862, 91. 



Mustela niartes var. loiua, L. S. N. i. 1766, 67. 



MuslelaCfoisna, Ohatin, Ann. Sci. Nat. 5th 6>er. xix. 1874, TH (anat.). 



FouiDf, Briss. op. loe. cit.—Bomarc, Diet. d'H. N. ii. 1768, 232.— £?</. Hist. Xat. vii. 161.— 

 Cnv. R. A. i. Wd.— French. 



Foina, Scatag. Quad. ii. pi. 6S.— Italian. 



Steinmarder, Ilall. Xaturg. Vierf. Th. 1757, 459.— Gertna7i. 



Steinmarder oder Buchraarder, Meyer, Yorstell. Thiere, pi. i.— German. 



Hausniarder, Mart. Bnff. Yierf. Th, 147, pi. 61 a.—Sckr. Fn. Boic. i. no. 9.— German. 



Martin, Fenn. Syn. Quad. 1771, 215. no. 154; Br. Zotil. 38. {House, Stone, and Beech Mar- 

 ten, Martern, Marteron, Martlett.) 



Fuina, Spanish. 



The Beech or Stone Marteii, which seems to be well established as a species, 

 may usually be distinguished from the Pine Marten by the pure white throat 

 and some other external features, as well as by some difference in habits. 

 But stronger characters are found in the skull and teeth. Some differences 

 in the proportions of the skull are obvious, and sufficient to confer a recog- 

 nizably different physiognomy ; the rostral part of the skull is much shorter. 

 The frontal profile above is more sloping ; the zygomatic width is relatively 

 greater. The zygoma is regularly arched throughout, instead of rising ab- 

 ruptly behind and then sloping down gradually forward. The anterior root 

 of the zygoma, owing to the shortness of the muzzle, is nearly half-way 

 from the supraorbital process to the end of the skull ; it is much further 

 back in M. martes. The palate is much shorter and broader for its length. 

 The back upper molar is very notably less massive; its inner moiety is but 

 little larger than the outer ; the latter is nicked on the outer border, whereas 

 in If. marten the inner moiety of the same is nearly twice as large as the outer, 

 and the border of the latter is strongly convex. In M.foiua, the inner anterior 

 fang of the last premolar is very small and oblique ; in 21. martes, it is much 

 larger and projects inward at a right angle. The next premolar is appreciably 

 smaller than the same tooth in M. martes. These dental peculiarities, taken 

 from specimens before me, are confirmatory of Blasius' diagnosis. The skulls 

 are 3.25 or less in total length by about 1.90 in greatest width ; those of M. 

 martes are 3.50 or more in leugtb, with a width scarcely greater than in 

 M. martes. It seems a slight difference in the figures, but the resulting mod- 

 ification in shape is decided. Similarly, the palate of AT. foina is about 1.40 

 in length by 0.90 in greatest width inside the teeth ; that of M. martes is 

 1.70 in length, with no greater width. As a practical means of appreciating 

 these differences, let one take the jaw of M. martes, and try to fit it to a 

 skull of 21. foina, or conversely. Cautious and accurate observers, like Dau- 

 benton and Bell, have recorded their doubts of the specific distinctness of 

 the two forms; but Bell, at least, has found reason to change his opinion, 

 while the views of many equally good judges are concurrent with thosejhere 

 adopted. 



