GENERAL ACCOUNT OF PUTORIUS LONGICAUDA. 139 

 General account of the species. 



The subject of the present article differs notably in the above 

 particulars from the common type of Ermine. It is probably 

 the same as the longicauda of Bonaparte, though it must be 

 observed that we have no assurance of this. It is the longicauda 

 of Baird. In case Bonaparte-s animal should i)rove not the 

 same, the present must be called P. culbertsoni Baird, MSS. 



After dwelling at the length I have upon the variability in 

 the length of tail of P. enninea, and on the extent of the 

 black pencil in that species, it may seem inconsistent to intro- 

 duce such features in a specific diagnosis. But it will be 

 observed that the character of the member is something over 

 and above that shown by P. erminea in any of its interminable 

 variety, and that I use it in combination with another pe- 

 culiarity, the color of the under parts. Taken together, these 

 seem perfectly distinctive ; at any rate, I find the same features 

 preserved throughout a considerable series of specimens, with- 

 out the slightest intergradation with P. erminea. The* speci- 

 mens are distinguishable at a glance. While I make no doubt 

 that this animal is an offshoot from P. erminea^ yet the differ- 

 entiation is complete, and no intermediate specimens are 

 known ; while, for that matter, it is doubtless true that all of 

 the species have come from an original stock. This particular 

 offshoot is a step toward those members of the genus which 

 extend into tropical America. This is evident in the coloration 

 of the belly, very little increased intensity of which would 

 assimilate it to the rusty and orange-brown shades prevailing 

 further south. 



Besides the types of my description, I have examined a 

 dozen or more additional specimens — those recorded b}' Baird 

 in his work, and others since received at the Smithsonian. 

 None show any gradation with P. erminea. In No. 4325, from 

 old Fort Union, "Nebraska" (now Montana), the tail-vertebrai 

 (the tail has not been skinned) measure 6.50 inches, with the 

 hairs about 8.00. No. 4320, from Fort Laramie, Wyoming, 

 taken in December, 1859, is pure white ; the 'black tip under 

 1.50 long; the vertebrae (unskinned) are about 6.00 ; the speci- 

 men in its winter dress is readily recognized by these features 

 as pertaining to P. longicaicda. Another specimen is in winter 

 dress from Fort Clarke. There are several from Utah. A 

 skin, too defective for satisfactory identification, but probably 



