EXTRALIMITAL SPECIES OF PUTORIUS. 153 



notch, 0.70 above head. The longest whiskers (black) reach 

 to the back of the ear; others grow on the chin, the cheeks 

 back of the angle of the mouth, and on the forehead. The 

 brownish-black mask is well contrasted with nearly white sur- 

 roundings, except on the forehead, where the dingy brownish 

 of the upper parts extends to it. The ears are mostly white, 

 with a dark touch at the lower front border. The dingy brown- 

 ish of the upper parts is a little stronger than in either of the 

 two other specimens here described. The blackish tip of the 

 tail is about one and a half inches long. 



I made no written memoranda of my examination of Mrs. 

 MaxwelPs specimens, but remember that they presented nothing 

 requiring special comment, being fairly illustrative of the char- 

 acters here detailed. 



Audubon's figure is unmistakable, and gives a very fair idea 

 of this interesting animal. As remarked by Prof. Baird, it 

 is singular that so conspicuous a species should have so long 

 eluded the observation of the many explorers who have trav- 

 ersed the region it inhabits, and where, apparently, it is by no 

 means rare. Its retiring habits, and the nature of its resorts, 

 doubtless tend to screen it. In the summer of 187G, I conducted 

 a natural history party through the region supposed to be its 

 centre of abundance, where Dr. Hayden's and Captain Gilliss's 

 specimens were secured ; but I failed to obtain a sight of it, 

 though I was in the midst of prairie-dog towns, and continu- 

 ally on the watch for this particular animal. The geographical 

 distribution above assigned will probably require to be consid- 

 erably enlarged. 



ADDENDUM TO CHAPTER V. 



On the species of the extralimital snhgenus Putorius. 



In farther illustration of the genus Putorius, I wish to introduce a notice 

 of the extralimital species of the subgenus Putorius, which, as already said^ 

 includes the Fitches, Ferrets or Polecats.* 



No representatives of this particular group are indigenous to America, but 

 the Ferret is extensively bred, in confinement or semi-domestication, for the 

 purpose of hunting rats, rabbits, &c. 



" The untechnical reader must not confound the proper use of the term 

 " polecat " for the Ferret group, with its frequent application in this coun- 

 try to the Skunks {Mephitime). 



