Feb., 1912. Mammals of Illinois and Wisconsin — Cory. 367 



Type locality — Southern New York. 



Distribution — Eastern United States from southern Maine, northern 

 New York and southern Ontario, Michigan, and greater part of 

 Wisconsin, south to Kentucky, Tennessee and western North 

 CaroHna. In the West its range extends at least to the Mississippi 

 River in western IlHnois. 



Description — In summer: Upper parts and fore and hind feet dark 

 brown ; generahy a brown spot back of the angle of the mouth ; under 

 parts white, more or less washed with yellowish (in some northern 

 Illinois specimens the yellowish tinge is absent) ; terminal portion 

 of the tail black for one third or more of its length. In winter: 

 Entire pelage white (except end of tail), more or less washed with 

 yellowish; the yellowish tinge is usually noticeable on under parts 

 and distinctly so about the rump, hind legs and tail; end of tail 

 always black; in the southern portion of its range it does not turn 

 white in winter, but the pelage is paler; size very variable; females 

 much smaller than the males. 



Measurements — Total length (males), usually from 14.50 to 16 in. 

 (370 to 416 mm.); tail vertebrse, 4.75 to 5.50 in. (120 to 140 mm.); 

 hind foot, 1.75 in. (44.5 mm.). Total length (females), 12 to 13.50 

 in. (304 to 342 mm.) ; tail vertebrae, 4.25 to 4.75 in. (108 to 120 mm.) ; 

 hind foot, about 1.37 in. (35 mm.). 



Remarks — Adult males of this species may readily be distinguished by 

 size, relative length of tail, etc. from P. cicognanii, but a female 

 noveboracensis and a male cicognanii often resemble each other very 

 closely. They may generally be distinguished by the relative 

 difference in the length of tail (see page 360.) and the absence of 

 yellowish white on the inner side of the hind foot. 

 The range of the New York Weasel includes practically the whole 



of Illinois* and the greater part of Wisconsin. It is common at least as 



far north as Marathon County and there is a specimen in the Milwaukee 



Public Museum from Oconto County, Wisconsin. Howell gives it as 



fairly common in southern Illinois and records specimens from Golconda, 



Pope Co., and Lick Creek, Union Co. (/. c, p. 32). 



Although Weasels are the smallest of our carnivorous species, they 



are the most ferocious and sanguinary of them all. They seem to 



* This species in the southern part of its range is claimed to have the under 

 parts decidedly pale yellow and does not turn white in winter; while in the northern 

 portion of its range it turns white in winter and has the under parts white in summer. 

 Mr. Bangs has separated them subspecifically, naming the yellow-bellied form 

 notius. Both white and yellow-bellied specimens are found in northern Illinois and 

 the animal turns white in winter in this latitude. If the subspecies stands the test 

 of time, it is probable that notius may be found to occur in southern Illinois, but a 

 lack of specimens for comparison prevents me from deciding this question. 



