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U S. P. R. R. EXP. AND SURVEYS ZOOLOGY GENERAL REPORT. 



sables in the character of the head, ear, tail, and feet, and as, even in respect to color, the sables 

 of the Nischnaja Tunguska, sent home by Middendorff, occupy an intermediate position between 

 the dark Asiatic and yellow American sables, I am induced to consider the American animal 

 rather as a yellower or more yellowish brown, and less densely furred variety of the Asiatic 

 sable than as a distinct species, or as a pine marten (Mustela martes)." 



The author then presents the diagnosis of the three species of allied Mustela, (M. zibellina, 

 martes, and foina,) as follows : 



Mustela zibellina, (asiatica et americana). Tail without the hairs, about one-third the body ; 

 shorter than the outstretched hind feet. The muzzle longer and more pointed. The top of the 

 snout and the chin differing very slightly, if at all, from the sidfl of the head in any darker 

 coloring, especially the chin ; much lighter than the upper or middle portion of the fore paws. 

 The sides of the neck and the head very different from the trunk in the lighter color, and 

 especially in the greater or less sprinkling or etching of white. The sides of the head, from 

 the eye to the ear, whitish, more or less mixed with brown.' The upper border of the ear 

 obtusely triangular. The whiskers scarcely reach as far back as the ear. The posterior surface 

 of the ear lighter, rarely (especially in the American specimens) darker than the light nape. 

 The throat and lower neck either only white here and there, or washed with light brownish 

 yellow, or with smaller or larger whitish, yellowish, or orange brown spots, of varying size 

 and number, of rounded, elongated, or angular form. When there is a well developed gular 

 blotch it ends anteriorly in a single point. The color of the paws and lower part of the thighs 

 quite uniform brownish black, or rather blackish brown, especially on the paws. The basal 

 and median stiffer straight outer hairs of the black or blackish brown tail, even in winter, are 

 shorter than the terminal ones ; the tail is consequently only tolerably bushy, most so at the 

 end ; it is uniformly black from base to tip, sometimes more or less sprinkled with white. The 

 whole body is covered with long stiff lustrous blackish brown or blank hairs, sometimes, or 

 almost always, mixed with white or white tipped ones. The very stiff bristly hairs of the toes 

 enveloping the claws, and more or less hiding them. The pads at the ends of the toes mostly 

 covered with hairs in the winter, leaving a very small portion not overgrown ; in summer mostly 

 bare. 



Measurements in inches. 



Mustela martes. The tail without the hairs about one-half or more than one-half the length 

 of head and body, extending almost one-third its length beyond the outstretched hind legs. 

 Muzzle shorter. Ridges of the fleshy palate much as in the sable. The upper part of the 

 muzzle and the chin blackish brown, less light than the upper part of the dark blackish brown 

 paws, and consequently separated from the light upper surface of the head (the vertex 



