54 CARNIVORA. 



eluded by the Prince of Musignano among the animals of 

 Italy. 



Mustela Furo. 



Mustda Furo, Desm. Mamm. Sp. 273 ; Bell, Brit. Quad. 

 The Ferret. 



Description. — Teeth as in last species, smaller and more 

 slender than the Polecat ; the snout longer in proportion. 

 Fur bright yellow, here and there tinged with wliite, some- 

 times a mixture of white, black, and tawny, with the tail 

 black ; eyes red. 



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

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



A native of Africa, whence it has been introduced into 

 Spain, and is very numerous in that countiy. In other 

 parts of Europe it exists only in a half- domesticated state, 

 being kept for hunting rabbits. Cook, in his * Sketches in 

 Spain,' doubts the existence of the Ferret in that country 

 in a wild state. The question deserves the attention of 

 future travellers. 



Mustela Sarmatica. 



Mustela Sarmatica, Desm. Mamm. Sp. 274 ; Pallas, Zoog. Ross. As. ; 



SCHREB. pi. 132, 

 Putorius Sarmaticus, Keys. u. Blas. Wirbelth. Europ. vol. i. p. 68. 



Description. — In general form very like Mustela Putorius, 

 the head narrower, body more elongate, the tail longer, 

 and the fur shorter ; the head is triangular ; long whiskers 

 on the upper lip ; ears short and rounded ; claws of fore- 

 feet longer than those of the hinder feet ; tail furnished 

 with long hairs ; hair of the body thick and not firm, about 

 half an inch long, and without wool at the base. Fur 

 shining ; round the mouth and cars, the top of the head and 

 forehead, white ; the body brown, varied with smaU yellow 



