160 



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



long as the head and body, the vertebrae alone being about one-sixth. The specimen is not 

 perfect enough to admit of much detail in reference to the head, ears, and feet. 



The upper parts and sides are of a dark chestnut brown, much like the Putorius noveboracensis . 

 This color extends on the outside of the fore legs to the wrist. The under parts, generally, as 

 far as the anus, the feet, inside of fore legs, and of hind legs nearly to the heel, are white. 

 The upper lip is white, bounded by a line extending from the nostril, midway between the 

 orbit and edge of the mouth, under the ear. The tail is colored like the back, a little darker 

 at the tip. The line separating the colors on the flanks is quite high up, though somewhat 

 broken, there being quite as much white as brown in the middle of the body. 



According to Dr. Richardson, this species becomes white in the fur countries. It is supposed 

 to remain brown throughout the year within the limits of the United States. It is barely 

 possible that the specimen here described may be different from the New York species, as given 

 by Dr. Dekay. 



This species is very similar to the Putorius vulgaris or nivalis of Europe, but seems still 

 smaller, the specimen examined, though quite adult, measuring but six inches from nose to 

 root of tail ; tail, vertebrae, {-$ ; tail, with hairs, l^y inch. The skull is broken, but the lower 

 jaw measures six and a half lines. The colors are considerably darker than P. vulgaris, and 

 the tail still shorter in proportion. 



I have never seen any specimens of this weasel, except those here mentioned, which are much 

 smaller than the ones described by Richardson and Dekay. These, however, retain much the 

 same proportions as given by me, allowing for some stretching. Thus Richardson's specimen 

 is given as nine inches long to root of the tail; the tail two inches to end of vertebras, and 2}- 

 to end of hairs. 



According to Prince Maximilian, this species becomes white in winter. 



Since writing the preceding description, a specimen in alcohol has been sent from Steilacoom 

 by Dr. SuuJ.ey, which differs in some respects. It is, perhaps, a little darker and larger, and 

 the rather longer tail is somewhat more dusky at the tip, instead of being almost uniformly 

 brown. The hairs project beyond the tail about one-fourth of the total length. The vertebra? 

 of the tail are about one-fourth as long as the head and body. The feet reach to the end of the 

 caudal vertebrae. 



Measurements. 



This species at first was supposed to be identical with the Putorius vulgaris of the Old World 

 Dekay was the first to give it a distinct name, although he is in error as to the grounds of the 

 separation. He places his species among the Mustelas, or those with three small teeth behind 



