56 CARNIVORA. 



Mustela boccamela. 



Musfela hoccamelo, Buon. Icon. Faun. Ital. vol. i. (figured) ; Becii- 



STEiN, Natvu'g. Deutschl. p. 819. 

 Mustela Altaica, Pallas, Zoog. Eoss. As. 



Description. — Body above, legs, and feet fine chestnut ; 

 all the under parts white, with a sHght sprinkling of reddish 

 on the throat and breast ; head chestnut-brown above, with 

 metalHc reflexions ; whiskers long, whitish ^^ellow ; fore- 

 feet white beneath, dappled mth chestnut ; tail furnished 

 with stiff, long hairs, of the colour of the back ; head de- 

 pressed, wide ; snout somewhat sharp, but the nose itself 

 dilated ; eyes large, oval ; ears wide, rounded, open, folded 

 on the outer margin ; the lower jaw has one false molar, 

 on each side, less than in M. vulgaris, which species, as 

 well as M. Erminea, it much resembles. 



Length of head and body, 8 inches 5 Hues ; head, 1 inch 

 11 lines ; ears, 7 lines ; tail, to the end of the hair, 3 inches 

 11 lines. 



Feeds on mice, bii'ds, and other small animals, and is 

 extremely fond of honey, in search of which it enters bee- 

 hives in gardens. Is easily tamed. 



This animal, in Europe at least, is peculiar to the Island 

 of Sardiaia, as stated by Prince Buonaparte. Pallas is in- 

 clined to think that his Mustela Altaica, found in the 

 Altai Mountains, is identical with it ; this, however, being 

 far from probable, requires proof. 



Mustela Erminea. 



Musfela Erminea, Desm. Mamm. Sp. 277 ; Bell, Brit. Quad. 

 Mustela Ermineum, Pallas, Zoog. Koss. As. 

 The Stoat, or Ermine. 



Description. — Teeth as in the Weasel, larger than that 

 species, to which it is closely allied. Upper part of the 



