114 MAMMALS. 



coufiuod to tlie northern shores of Asia and North America, there are five or six species from 

 China, India, or the Indian Archipelago (one, if not two, of ■which are from Sumatra and 

 Borneo), three from Africa, two good species from North Ajnerica, and eight, some of which are 

 doubtful, from Central or South America. 



We know of none from New Guinea, and, of course, none from Australia ; but some years ago 

 Mr. Walter Mantell called attention to the possibility of an indigenous quadruped called by the 

 natives " Kaurcke," which he supposed to be either a badger or an otter, existing in New 

 Zealand ; and a naturalist in that country lately announced the fact that although he had not seen 

 the animal in question, he had observed certain tracks on the mud fiats near the source of the 

 River Ashburton, which exactly resembled those of the Otter of Europe, and which he considered 

 to afford indications that such an animal existed in the Alpine lakes and rivers of New Zealand.* 



Such a discovery Avould be of the greatest interest. As yet no terrestrial mammals have been 

 found in New Zealand with the exception of a small rodent ; and in whatever direction the affinity of 

 this other animal might lead, it would be sure to throw light on the past history of that quarter of 

 the globe. It would be especially interesting if it should confirm some of the deductions, already 

 drawn from peculiarities in the fauna and flora of New Zealand ; if, for instance, it should be found 

 most nearly allied to one of the Peruvian or other South American Otters. That it should 

 turn out to be a Badger is opposed to all ^probabilities, the Badger being confined to the north 

 of Eiu'ope, Asia, and America. 



Weasels, Polecats, (ilap 24.) Of the genus Mustela, the Weasels are the most northcrlj- section. 

 The common Weasel of tins coimtry is found all the way to the Amour, although in fewer numbers 

 on the high Steppes, but has not been noticed in Japan. It formerly inhabited Ireland, but is no 

 longer foimd there. The Stoat, or Ermine, has the same range, but is not found to the south of 

 the Middle Amour. Whether it extends into North America or not has been a question. Dr. Bairdf 

 says that none of the specimens collected iu America and sent to the Smithsonian Institution 

 were of this species, and he doubts whether it is found in America even in the highest latitudes. 



The Polecats, although they also inhabit high latitudes, have a greater number of troj)ical or 

 sub-tropical species than the Weasels. This, however, is more the case in the Old World than in 

 the New. The Polecats in tropical America are mostly, if not all, mountain species. Six different 

 species stretch across the whole of Europe and Asia, and there are about as many more that are 

 found in Asia and not in Europe. The European Polecat has been supposed not to extend entirely 

 across the Asiatic continent, but to be rei^laced in southern Russia and the Caucasus by a species 

 named by Lichteustein M. Eveksjianni, and further on, in eastern Siberia, by another brighter- 

 coloured species ; but Radde J maintains them both to be mere climatal varieties of the 

 common species. His inclination, however, appears to be to swamp all S2>ecies which ajDproach 

 closely to each other, and to treat them as varieties. Knowing his proclivity, we understand 

 what Ave have to deal with, and looking at species as thej^ are regarded by nine-tenths of living 

 naturalists, we shovdd hold the sjjecies of Polecat which he has here suppressed as distinct species 



* Haast Julius, "Eepovt of a Topographical and Geo- States Pacific Railroad E.\plorations and Surveys." Wash- 

 logical Exploration of tlio ^Yestern Districts of the Nelson ington, 1857, p. 166. 



Province, New Zealand." Nelson, 1861. Cited in "Nat- J Qdstave Radde, " Rciscn im Suden von Ost-Sibo- 



ural History Review," Jan\iary 18C-1, p. 30. ricn." St. Petersburg, 1862. 



t Baird in " Report on the ZoolOj:y of the United 



