nev) Species and Sub.'^pecies of Mustelklae. ' 391 



half of intevramia, edg-es of lowei- lips, angles of mouth, 

 and a sprinkling of hairs about the nose white. 



Dimensions: from label, ''length 20 inches'"^; hind foot 

 (measured in dried skin) without claws 54 mm. ; tail (ditto) 

 including end-hairs about 170; ear about 15. 



The skull is not perfect, but presents the following dimen- 

 sions : — palatal length 25 mm. ; zygomatic breadth 31. The 

 mesopterygoid fossa is attenuated anteriorly ; the incisive 

 foramina are ample and elongated. 



Ti^ps (an almost mature male), no. 99. 3. 1. 11, from 

 San-yen-tze, China, 5th August, 1S9G ; procured by 

 Mr. F. W. Sty an. 



Putorius sihiricus ixoctis is clearly separated by its dull 

 coloration from all its allies of the Asiatic mainland. The 

 type is evidently iu summer coat. 



Putorius sihiricus miles, subsp. n. 



Form as in P. sihiricus typicus. 



Coloration. Above between " russet ^^ and ''cinnamon- 

 rufous," shading into " orange-rufous " or " ochraceous 

 rufous" on the underside, and becoming darker on the upper 

 surface of the head. Upper surfaces of the feet, interraraia, 

 upper lips, and a spot behind each nostril dirty white, shading 

 into ochraceous tints on the throat. 



Di?nensions from the dried skin : — Hind foot 45 mm. j 

 ear 15. 



There is no skull. 



Type. No. 74. 1. 16. 2, from Dauria, Eastern Siberia; 

 received from Professor Taczanowski. 



The bright underside of this weasel renders it distinguish- 

 able at a glance from all other described forms. 



Turning to the true weasels, I may remark here that the 

 subspecific name Putorius nivalis italicus proposed by me 

 for the Italian weasel is preoccupied by Achille Costa^s 

 name " var. meridionalis " *, of which it must accordingly 

 stand as a synonym. The type locality of P. nivalis meri- 

 dionalis is " in Italia meridionali continentali." 



Amongst the ermines or stoats I find the following forms. 

 Firstly, a specimen from British North America does not 

 agree with any description by American naturalists of the 



' * Anu, del Museo Zool. della R. Univ. di Napoli, anno 1j:Go, p. 40 

 Adated 1P69). 



