MAMMALS OF PENNSYLVANIA AND NEW JERSEY. l8l 



Wayne Co. — "I caught one in central Oregon township, Dec, 1857. It 

 was a female which had lived in the vicinity at least 2 years." — Goodnough, 

 1900. " Cousin Geo. Stevens caught one at the head waters of Butternut 

 Creek about 1879." — Stevens, 1900. "Extinct; once numerous in this 

 county." — Teeple, 1900. 



Pa. in general. — From reports of N. York City and Penna. fur dealers and 

 shippers it is learned that probably not over half a dozen Fishers are now 

 annually killed in this State. At the present time about the only counties 

 where these animals are to be found are Clearfield, Cameron, Elk and prob- 

 ably Clinton, Potter and Sullivan, and in all of these they are reported to be 

 very rare." — Warren, Poultry book, 1897. 



Record in jV. y.— " Rarely met with. None exist in the central part of 

 the State ; probably none in the southern section. About the mountains in 

 the northern counties a few are still living, but in no appreciable numbers." 

 —Abbott, Geol. N. J., 1868, p. 753. 



Habits, etc. — I am indebted to Dr. Coues' monograph of the Mustelidce for 

 the following notes on the life history of Pennant's marten. Unlike the 

 marten, mink, weasel and wolverene, the pekan has no counterpart in the 

 Old World. It is in appearance and habits much like a large marten, only 

 its expression is more dog-like, and it seems to prefer low, wet grounds and 

 the banks of streams, whereas the marten is an upland, hill-haunting species. 

 Its commoner name of fisher is misleading, as it does not catch fish any 

 oftener than a cat, though showing a feline fondness for them when they can 

 be stolen. The name, pekan, is of doubtful origin, but probably an aboriginal 

 name. Its food is similar to that of the marten, consisting largely of small 

 rodents, but it is said to be very fond of the porcupine, and to also kill the 

 marten and racoon for food. It shows great address and agility in climbing 

 trees, and makes its home in a lofty hollow where the young are also hidden 

 away from danger till able to go abroad. They number three or four. When 

 brought to bay the pekan is most courageous, proving a much more danger- 

 ous foe to dogs than the fox. Audubon states that this animal is more strictly 

 nocturnal than many others so-called. Ross don't agree as to this, and says 

 they do not keep so closely to the woods as the marten, but often hunt mice 

 on the large grassy marshes or prairies at the mouth of Slave Riv^er, B. A. It 

 is almost as bad at stealing bait from the marten traps as the wolverene, which 

 animal it is said to resemble in many characteristics. On account of their 

 rarity this species' depredations never brought it into strained relations with 

 economic zoologists. 



Description of species. — Size about three times that of marten. Body rela- 

 tively much stouter. General aspect fox-like or dog-like, with rounded, broad 

 ears and a long, rounded tail, gradually tapering to a slender point from a 

 large, bushy root, the hairs quite long. The neck, legs and feet are much 



