MAMMALS 261 



claws never fully retractile; tail usually long; tongue with rasping 

 papilla; anal glands usually present which secrete a fetid liquid; color 

 usually uniformly dark brown or black and white: numerous species; 

 savage, carnivorous or omnivorous animals found in all the geographical 

 regions except the Australian, and most numerous in the Temperate 

 and Boreal zones, many being valuable fur-bearing animals; about ii 

 genera and 65 species in North America, 45 species occurring in the 

 United States, grouped in 4 subfamilies. 



Key to the Subfamilies of Mustelidae 



ai Toes not webbed or but slightly so. 



bi Claws partly retractile; weasels, minks, etc i. Mustelince. 



b2 Claws not retractile; claws usually long. 



Ci Last upper molar very large and quadrangular; skunks 



(Fig. 159) 2. MephUin(2. 



C2 Last upper molar triangular; badgers 3. Melince. 



a2 Toes completely webbed; otters 4- LutrincB. 



Subfamily i. Mustelinae. — Weasels, martens and minks. Body 

 slender; toes short and partly retractile: 3 genera. 



Key to the Genera of Mustelinae 



ai Teeth 38, dentition being 3/3, i/i, 4/4, 1/2 (Fig. 156). 



bi Feet digitigrade; body slender; martens i. Mustela. 



b2 Feet plantigrade; body stout; wolverines 2. Gulo. 



2.2 Teeth 34; body slender and small; weasels (Fig. 158) 3. Putorius. 



I. Mustela L. {Martes Pinel). Martens. Body elongate and 

 slender; tail long and bushy; ears short; claws small, sharp and partly 

 retractile: 8 species in North America, about 3 in the United States. 



Key to the United States Species of Mustela 



ai Body slender. 



bi Light-colored cheek patches present M. americana. 



b2 No light-colored cheek patches present M. caurina. 



a.2 Body stout M. pennanti. 



M. americana Turton. Pine marten; American sable (Fig. 156). 

 Color rich brown, darker middorsally; legs black; tail blackish and 

 bushy; length 610 mm.; tail 205 mm.; hind foot 90 mm.; ears pointed: 

 forests of northern North America from the Atlantic to the Rockies; 

 southward into Pennsylvania; Hudsonian, Canadian and Upper Tran- 

 sition zones; nest in hollow trees or holes in the ground, and up to 8 

 young annually raised. 



