GENERAL ACCOUNT OF PUTORIUS LONGICAUDA. 141 



can and Mexican skins the facial markings of P. frenatus are 

 not seldom extinguished. 



The Long-tailed Stoat is the characteristic form of the genus 

 throughout the region of the Missouri and its tributaries. 

 While I am not assured that it inhabits this country to the 

 exclusion of P. erminea^ I may state that I never met with the 

 latter in any of my travels, and that I have not seen specimens 

 from fairly within this region, though some from its confines 

 are before me. It is the Weasel of the Eocky Mountains too, 

 for a corresponding extent, and, as above indicated, very prob- 

 ably reaches to the Pacific. Mr. Ridgway informs me that he 

 found a specimen, which he satisfactorily identifies from mem- 

 ory of its creamy-yellow under parts, in the Wahsatch Mount- 

 ains, near Salt Lake City, Ut^h. I have also seen the species 

 in the mountains of Colorado. 



I found the animal to be quite numerously represented in 

 Northern Montana, on the boundless prairies of the Upper 

 Missouri and Milk Eiver, living in burrows underground along 

 with the Gophers {SpermopJdlus richardsoni)^ Badgers, and Kit 

 Foxes. In these treeless domains, it occupies as its home the 

 deserted burrows of the Gophers. I once surprised a family 

 of five or six in such a retreat; I could hear them spitting 

 angrily below, but did not succeed in my endeavor to dislodge 

 them. This was late in July ; the young were well grown at 

 this period. Later in the season, at Chief Mountain Lake, one 

 of the headwaters of the Saskatchewan, on the eastern base 

 of the Rocky Mountains, latitude 49^, several specimens were 

 secured. Here the species was living on wooded ground; 

 indeed, one of my specimens was caught up a small tree, and 

 killed with a stick. It climbed and leaped among the branches 

 with ease and agility, much like a Squirrel. Skins were in de- 

 mand by the men of our party for the manufacture of tobacco- 

 pouches; they made very pretty ones, and many were killed 

 for this purpose. 



The specimen mentioned above from the Wahsatch Mount* 

 ains was found dead by Mr. Ridgway in the nest of a Buteo 

 sicainsoni. This shows that the animal, desi)ite its ferocity 

 and activity, may fall a victim to the rapacity of the larger 

 Hawks. The individual had its neck torn, and was already 

 partly eaten by the two strong and voracious young Buzzards 

 which occuj)ied the nest. The nest contained also the remains 



