Rafinesque on a New Species of Marten. 85 
io it the name of Mustela vulpina, or Fox Marten, owing to its 
head and tail being somewhat similar to that of a fox. 
Mustela vulpina. Definition—Brown, three large yellowish. 
spots underneath on the throat, breast, and belly ; cheeks, in- 
side of the ears, and a spot on the nape, white ; tail tipped with 
white one-third of total length ; feet blackish, toes white. 
Description—This animal is of a fine shape: its size is 
rather above mediocrity, being about half a foot high, and the 
total length being twenty-seven inches, whereof nine form the 
tail. The general colour of the fur is of a drab brown, and it 
is neither coarse nor very fine. The head is elongated, 
oblong, about four inches long, shaped like that of a fox; the 
shout is narrow; the nose is black, notched, and granulated, 
furnished on each side with black whiskers, two inches long: 
there are three long black hairs, or vibrissa, above each eye, 
and a few shorter ones scattered behind them on the cheeks, 
chin, and tip of the lower jaw, which is white: the cheeks are 
whitish, and there is a white spot on the nape of the neck: 
The ears are large, broad, and white inside. ‘There are three 
oblong spots on the thrvat, breast and belly ; this last 
is the largest; that on the breast the smallest. The fore legs 
are shorter than the hind ones, and have, behind, three very 
Jong hairs, or vibrissa: the feet and toes of all the legs are 
covered with long fur; the former have a dark brown or 
blackish ring, and the latter are of a dirty white: there are 
five long toes to all the feet, of which the inner one is the 
Shortest ; the nails are white, retractible, and shorter than. 
the fur. The teeth are as in the genus Mustela, and white; 
those of the lower jaw are larger and stronger: the grinders 
are four on each side: they are broad, trifid, with the middle 
“en sharp and very long: the tusks, or dogteeth, are very 
Strong, curved, and approximated, leaving a very small place 
for the incisores, which are very small, very short, and flat; 
the two lateral ones on each side are situated diagonally, the 
Second behind, and the two middle ones are only half the size 
of the others, The tail is bushy, particularly at the top, where 
there isa white pencil of long hairs; the brown of the remain- 
der is darker than on the bod y: 
