MUSTELA PUTORIUS. 53 



all over the northern parts of Norway and Sweden. Pallas 

 says that it is rare in Russia, except in the great forests of 

 the North. 



Division II. DIGITIGEADES, 



i. e. those which do not walk on the entire sole, but chiefly 

 on the toes. 



Genus MUSTELA. 

 Teeth. — Incisors, | ; canines, \^^ : molars, J— 4 or 



' 6 ' ' 1 — 1 ' ' 5 — 5 



g^g ; grinders cutting, except the last in each jaw, which 

 is tubercled ; body very much elongated ; legs short ; ears 

 short and rounded. 



Mustela Putorius. 



Mustela Putorius, Desm, Mamm. Sp. 271 ; Pallas, Zoog. Boss. As. ; 



Bell, Brit. Quad. 

 The Polecat. 



Description. — Four molars above, five below, on each side ; 

 hair on the body of two kinds, the longer shining, of a 

 dusky brown, the shorter more woolly, of a tawny or yellow- 

 ish white, giving a general tint of brownish yellow ; legs 

 and tail uniform dusky brown ; space round the mouth, and 

 edge of ears, white. 



Length of head and body, 1 foot 6 inches ; head, 2 inches 

 10 lines ; ears, 6 lines ; tail, 5 inches 6 lines. 



Burrows in the ground, coming out at night ; feeds both 

 on animal and vegetable substances. 



Desmarest says that " it is found in the temperate regions 

 of Europe." It is not common in England and Scotland. 

 Is not rare in many parts of France. In Russia, according 

 to Pallas, it occurs everywhere except in the extreme north, 

 and is the most common of the smaller Ferae. It is in- 



