104 NORTH AMERICAN MUSTELID^. 



smaller dimeiisious seem to be nearer the average. The skiu 

 from the YnkoD, above mentioued, probably well stretched, 

 measures 7.50 ; tail- vertebrae, 1.25 ; hind foot, 1.10. The Ore- 

 gon specimen was apparently about 7 inches; the tail 2. Two 

 skins from British America (4411, Fort Kesolution, Kennicott^ 

 and 4231, Moose Factory, Brexler) are notably smaller and 

 shorter-tailed than any others I have seen. They are about 6 

 inches long, the tail-vertebne an inch or less, the hind feet 

 about 0.75.* They are also somewhat peculiar in the intensity 

 of a liver-brown shade. 



With only such small and dark-colored specimens as these 

 last before us (strictly representing P. imsiUus of Andabon and 

 Bachman), there might be little difficulty in distinguishing at least 

 an American race; but, as already indicated, such distinctions 

 disappear on examining larger series, and consequently fail to 

 substantiate a geographical race. Whatever minute discrep- 

 ancies may be noted in comparing certain American with cer- 

 tain other European examples, assuredly these do not hold 

 throughout the series ; and, moreover, the differences inter se 

 between animals of either continent are as great as any of those 

 which can be detected when the animals of the two continents 

 are compared. Thus, holding in my hands the Yukon speci- 

 men and No. 2290, from Leeds, England, I find that I have in- 

 contestably the same species. In size and color, these two are 

 much more nearly identical than Nos. 2290 and 2279, the latter 

 being also from Leeds. The Yukon animal has, indeed, a bushy 

 tip to the tail ; but, again, the one from Moose Factory has not. 

 A specimen from Scotland (No. 1658) has proved susceptible of 

 overstuffing up to more than 10 inches for length of head and 

 body ; but No. 2290 was scarcely 7 inches long. The presence 

 of true M. vulgaris on our continent may be considered estab- 

 lished. So that the question practically narrows to whether 

 we have not also an additional species. This I cannot admit; 

 for if minute differences of the grade allowed to distinguish a 

 supposed ''^inisillus " be taken into account, we must, to be con- 

 sistent, also separate from this latter the specimen from Oregon, t 

 with its longer blackish-tipped tail, and so have three North 



* Reliable European writers assign a length of about 8 inches of head and 

 body, the head If, the tail '2. The female is usually an inch, if not more, 

 smaller than the male. 



tThis furnishes a case parallel with that of Rexperomys "hoyVii" and ff. 

 " aui<le)'us'\ There. is a strong local inliuence exerted upon various animals 

 in this region. 



