DESCRIPTION OF MUSTELA AMERICANA. 83 



the article of Mr. B. E. Ross, who describes the Marten from 

 long experience of its variations : — 



" The winter fur of this species is full and soft, about an 

 inch and a half deep, with a number of coarse black hairs 

 interspersed. The tail is densely covered with two kinds of 

 hair, similar to those of the back but coarser. The hairs on 

 the top are longest, measuring 2^ inches, and giving the end a 

 very bushy appearance. The fur is in full coat from about the 

 end of October until the beginning of May, according to locality. 

 When in such condition the cuticle [sic, meaning skin viewed 

 from inside] is white, clean, and Very thin. From the latter of 

 these dates the skin acquires a darker hue, which increases 

 until the hair is renewed, and then gradually lightens until the 

 approach of winter, the fur remaining good for some time 

 before and after these changes. When casting its hair the 

 animal has far from a pleasing appearance, as the under fur 

 falls off leaving a shabby covering of the long coarser hairs, 

 which have then assumed a rusty tint. The tail changes later 

 than any other part, and is still bushy in some miserable look- 

 ing summer specimens now lying before me. After the fall 

 of these long hairs, and towards the end of summer, a fine 

 short fur pushes up. When in this state the pelage is very 

 pretty and bears a strong resemblance to a dark mink in its 

 winter coat. It gradually lengthens and thickens as winter 

 approaches, and may be considered prime after the first fall of 

 ^now. 



'' It is diflBcult to describe the color of the martin fur accu- 

 rately. In a large heap of skins (upwards of fifty) which I 

 have just examined minutely there exists a great variety of 

 shades darkening from the rarer of yellowish-white and bright 

 orange, into various shades, of orange brown, some of which 

 are very dark. However, the general tint may with propriety 

 be termed an orange brown, considerably clouded with black 

 on the back and belly, and exhibiting on the flanks and throat 

 more of an orange tint. The legs and paws as well as the top 

 of the tail are nearly pure black. The claws are white and 

 sharp. The ears are invariably edged with a yellowish white, 

 and the cheeks are generally of the same hue. The forehead 

 is of a light brownish gray, darkening towards the nose, but 

 in some specimens it is nearly as dark as the body. The 

 yellowish marking under the throat, (considered as a specific 

 distinction of the pine martins) is in some well defined and of 



