MAMMALIA. 485 



feet. The neck is elongated. The ears are short and rounded. The 

 tail is long, but rarely bushy ; generally diffusing a strong odor, which 

 in some genera becomes a defensive weapon. Five genera of this family 

 are found in North America : Putorius, Mephitia^ Mustela^ Lutra., and 

 IlJnhydra. 



The genus Mustela (the weasel proper) is characterized by a small and 

 oval head ; a snout rather large ; ears short and round ; a long and vermi- 

 form body ; a tail usually long and cylindrical ; the legs short, each foot 

 provided with live toes, armed with sharp, crooked, and slightly retractile 

 claws. There is no anal pouch, but a small gland which secretes a thickish 

 offensive fluid. The fur is very fine. There are four carnivorous teeth on 

 each side of the upper jaw, and the last carnivorous tooth on the lower jaw 

 has a round lobe on the inner side. Several species of this genus are found 

 in North America, but the largest number belong to the old world. The 

 weasel, fisher, or pekan {M. canadensis)^ as all these names are indif- 

 ferently applied, formerly very common in every part of the northern and 

 middle States, has greatly diminished and is still diminishing in number 

 with the increased population of the country. It frequents the water 

 edges. 



The common marten, M. martes [pi. 116, fig. 3), inhabits the woods. 

 It is extensively hunted in the Adirondack region of northern New York, 

 where it is called sable. The beech marten of Europe, M. foina {pi. 116, 

 fig. 4). The sable {M. zihelUna\ which inhabits Siberia, is highly valued 

 for its rich fur. 



Of this genus several fossil species have been described, the remains of 

 which are found in the Old World. 



The genus Palceogale comes nearest to Mustela, from which it is gene- 

 rically distinct in the structure of the teeth. Two extinct species are 

 found in Wirtemberg. 



The genus Putorius is composed of species generally small in size, which 

 seldom climb trees like the martens. They emit a fetid odor, and have 

 nocturnal habits. They differ from the martens in having one tooth less 

 on each side of the upper jaw ; their snout, short and blunt, is also shorter 

 and thicker than that of the marten. Their head is small and oval ; their 

 ears short and round; their body long and vermiform ; their neck elon- 

 gated ; their legs short. There are five toes on each foot, armed Avith 

 sharp crooked claws ; the tail is long and cylindrical. Five species of this 

 genus inhabit North America, and twice that number are found on the 

 eastern continent. The mink (P. vison) is spread nearly all over North 

 America, inhabiting water courses, and exceedingly destructive to poultry. 

 The ermine, P. erminea {pi. 116, fig. 8), which becomes white in winter, 

 except the tip of the tail, which is always black, inhabits the northern por- 

 tions of both continents. The American one has been described as a 

 distinct species. 



The common polecat of Europe, Mustela jvdonvs {p)l. 116, fig. 5) ; the 

 European weasel, P. vulgaris (pi. 116, fig. 7) : and the ferret, P. furo 

 {pi. 116, fi^. 6), belong to this genus. 



ICONOGRAPHIC ENCYCLOPEDIA.— VOL. II. 44 689 



