MAMMALS—MARTINAE—MUSTELA PENNANTII. 149 
MUSTELA, Linn. 
Mustela, Linn. ‘‘ Systema Naturae, I, 1735.’’ 
Teeth 38. Molars one above, two below; premolars, four above and below, on each side. Lower sectorial tooth with a small 
internal tubercle. Body slender ; tail rather long. 
This genus embraces the martens in distinction from the weasels; species usually of large 
size, arboreal habits, and (some’of them at least) yielding furs of great value. They are scat- 
tered over many regions of the globe, only two of them belonging to the continent of North 
America. One of these, J/. pennantii, is the largest of the known species; the other, JZ. 
americana, is a near representative of the pine marten of Europe, and in some of its varieties 
of the sable, W/. zibellina, of the old world. 
The dental formula of this genus is—incisors, = canines, = premolars, ae molars 
= "38: 
1 1s 
2-2 20 
MUSTELA PENNANTII, Erxl. 
Fisher; Black Cat. 
Mustela pennantii, ERxLeBen, Syst. An. 1777, 479. (Based on Fisher of Pennant. 
J. Sazine in Franklin’s Narr. Ist Journey, 1823, 651. 
Grirritu’s Cuy. V, 1827, 125. 
Fiscuer, Syn. Mamm. 1829, 217. 
Gopman, Am. N. H. I, 1831, 203. 
Mustela canadensis, Scureser, Saugt. II, 1778, 492; tab. cxxxiv. (Pekan of Buffon.) 
Boppaert, El. Anim. I, 1784, 86. 
Ge ti, Syst. Nat. I, 1788, 95. 
Kuat, Beitrage, 1820, 74. 
Desmarest, Mamm. I, 1820, 183. (Pekan.) 
Haran, Fauna Americana, 1825, 65. 
Ricuarpson, F’. B. A. I, 1829, 52.—Is. Zool. Beechey Voyage, 1839. 
Martin, Pr. Zool, Soc. Lond. I, 1833, 97. (Anatomy.) 
Wacener, Suppl. Schreb. IT, 1841, 223. 
Dexay, N. Y. Zool. I, 1842, 31; pl. xiii, f 1. (Skull.) 
Avup. & Bacn. N. A. Quad. I, 1849, 307; pl. xli. 
GieseEL, Saiugt. 1855, 773. 
Mustela melanorhyncha, Bopparrt, Elen. Anim. I, 1784, 88. (Fisher of Pennant.) 
ZIMMERMANN, in Penn. Arkt. Zool. I, 1787, 85. 
Viverra piscator, Suaw, Gen. Zool. Mamm. I, 1800, 414. (Fisher of Pennant.) 
Viverra canadensis, Suaw, Gen. Zool. Mamm. I, 1800, 429. (Pekan of Pennant.) 
Mustela nigra, Turtron’s Linneus, I, 1806, 60. 
Mustela godmani, Fiscuer, Syn. Mamm. 1829, 217. 
Le Pekan, Burron, Hist. Nat. XIII, 1765, 306 ; tab. xlii. 
Pekan weasel, Pennant, Hist. Quad. 1781, No. 202.—Is. Arctic Zoology, I, 1784, 78. (Appears to be an original 
description from the specimen of Brisson and Buffon.) 
The Fisher, Pennant, Syn. Quad. 1771, 223.—In. Hist. Quad. 1781, 328.—In. Arctic Zoology I, 1784, 82. 
Sp. Cu.—Legs, belly, tail, and hinder part of back, black; the back with an increasing proportion of grayish white to the 
head. Length, over two feet. Vertebre of tail exceeding twelve inches. 
The general appearance of this animal is more fox-like than musteline, in its long head, 
