100 REPORT OF NEW JERSEY STATE MUSEUM. 
Family MUSTELIDA. 
OTTERS, WEASELS AND SKUNKS. 
This group comprises our smaller carnivorous mammals, of 
which the weasel may be regarded as a typical representative. 
The larger Pine Martin (Mustela americana) and Fisher (M. 
pennantit) no doubt formerly occurred in the mountainous parts 
of northwestern New Jersey, but there seems to be no definite 
record of the fact. It is possible also that another species of 
weasel, P. cicognani, may have occurred in the same region. 
At the present time only four species of Mustelide are to be 
found in the State, belonging to three genera, as follows: 
a. Toes webbed, teeth i 3/3, c 1/1, p 4/3, m ™%. LUTRA 
aa. ‘Toes not webbed. 
b. Teeth i 3/3, c 1/1, p 4/4, m %. MUSTELA (extinct in N. J.) 
bb. Teeth i 3/3, c 1/1, p 3/2-3/3, m ¥%. 
c. Colors black and white. MEPHITIS 
cc. Colors brown (sometimes white in winter). PUTORIUS 
Genus Lurra Brisson. 
Otters. 
Lutra canadensis lataxina (Cuvier). 
Carolina Otter. 
PLATE 50. 
Length, 3 feet 6 inches to 4 feet. Body long and somewhat 
flattened, feet short, toes webbed, tail very broad and flat at the 
base, where it joins the body. Color, seal brown, lighter be- 
neath, pale brown on the throat. 
Although rarely seen, otters still remain in more secluded 
localities along the streams and lakes of the State. They are 
thoroughly aquatic animals, with webbed toes, and are adepts 
