MAMMALS OF PENNSYLVANIA AND NEW JERSEY. 173 



Alleghenian Least Weasel. Putonus allegheniensis Rhoads. 



1900, Putorius allegheniensis Rhoads, Proceedings Academy Natural 

 Sciences, Phila., p. 751. Issued Feb. 7, 1901. 



Type locality. — Near Beallsville, Washington Co., Pennsyh'ania. 



Faunal distribution. — Unknown ; probably Canadian and transition zones, 

 southern Alleghenies northward. 



Distribution in Pa. and N.J. — Not found in N. J. For distribution in Pa. 

 see original description following, as also for Records, Description of species, 

 etc. 



Owing to the rather remarkable discovery of this species in a region so 

 long ransacked by naturalists, I may be justified in giving at some length the 

 original announcement of its discovery. Nothing further than this has been 

 published, to my knowledge, concerning it, although Mr. Todd, of the Car- 

 negie Museum, has since then strenuously endeavored to get more specimens. 

 The description follows : 



A New Weasel from Western Pennsylvania. 

 " One of the most unlooked-for results of recent systematic field study of 

 smaller mammals inhabiting the settled and populous areas of the Eastern 

 States is the discovery of a small weasel in the regions contiguous to the city 

 of Pittsburgh. Fortunately three specimens have been secured, each repre- 

 senting a phase of pelage characteristic of the seasonal moult. This weasel is 

 allied to the minute Arctic and Canadian Putorius rixosus Bangs, being some- 

 what larger than rixosus and less than half the size of P. cicognani, the small- 

 est species hitherto recorded from the Middle States. It may be diagnosed 

 as follows : 



Putorius allegheniensis sp. nov. Allegheny Weasel. 



Type, No. 6195, adult. Museum of the Academy of Natural Sciences of 

 Philadelphia. Captured by Robert Hawkins, near Beallsville, Washington 

 county, Pa., about the year 1885 or 1886. 



" Description of the type. — In size and color it resembles Putorius rixosus 

 Bangs from the Saskatchewan, B. A., but larger, darker and more thinly 

 furred. Skull broader and flatter, with interorbital space high, tumid and 

 constricted posteriorly. No supraorbital ridges. 



'* Color (summer pelage). — Upper parts walnut-brown, abruptly separated 

 from the pure white of under parts, the line of demarcation running from 

 nasal pad along border of upper lip, through base of whiskers, just below base 

 of ear, along median lateral line of neck to anterior base of shoulder ; thence 

 down anterior profile of foreleg to elbow, rising thence along posterior profile 

 of leg to and along median lateral body line to flank, thence to heel and 

 posterior thigh as on foreleg, rising and encircling anal region to lower base 



