MUSTELA. 159 



pad. Fur of body short in Malay skins, moderately long in 

 Himalayan specimens, and with woolly underfur in winter. 



The skull resembles that of M. foina more than that of M. martes 

 in shape, but is larger than either, the zygomatic breadth exceeds 

 half the length, and the sides of the muzzle converge. The length 

 of the upper sectorial along its outer margin exceeds the breadth 

 of the upper true (hindmost) molar. This molar differs in form 

 from that in M. foina and M. martes by having the inner lobe no 

 broader from back to front than the outer. 



Colour. In the common Indian form the head to below the ears, 

 with the face, nape, and more or less of the hind neck, the rump, 

 tail, and limbs glossy blackish brown to black, the back from the 

 shoulders to the rump pale brown, sometimes brownish white. 

 The chin and upper part of the throat as far as below the ears 

 white ; throat and breast yellow or orange or brownish yellow ; 

 abdomen similar in colour to the back, but a little paler. The 

 underfur on the back is paler in colour than the terminal portions 

 of the longer hairs. 



Varieties. There is, however, a much darker form, found both in 

 the Himalayas and in Southern India, the Galidictis chrysoyaster of 

 Jardine and Martes gwaikinsi of Horsfield. The whole animal is 

 dark brown, except the chin, throat, and breast, the two former of 

 which are white, the breast pale yellow. According to Adams, the 

 dark phase is the summer livery, but this requires confirmation. 

 Another variety, found in Southern Tenasserim and the Malay 

 countries, has the head above and the back uniform or nearly so in 

 colour, a moderate hair-brown, not nearly so dark as the head in 

 ordinary specimens, but with a darker band on each side of the 

 nape, forming a margin to the paler throat, which is not always 

 white or yellow, but sometimes, with the breast, light brown. The 

 Malayan race, however, is not, as Jerdon states, paler than others, 

 but the reverse, except on the head. There is, in the British 

 Museum, a blackish-headed specimen from Tavoy, with the back 

 very pale light yellowish brown, this colour extending to the base 

 of the tail. Four different varieties are described by Blyth, one 

 from Southern India being very similar in colour to some Malay 

 specimens, brown throughout, paler on the sides, chin, throat, and 

 breast. In some instances dark brown spots are found on the 

 throat or breast. 



Dimensions. Head and body 20 to 22 inches, tail without hair 

 about 16, with hair 17 to 20 (Jerdon's measurement of the tail is 

 erroneous). Weight 4 to 6| Ibs. Basal length of skull 3-53 inches, 

 zygomatic breadth 2-3 inches. 



Distribution. Throughout the Himalayas from west of Kashmir 

 (I have a skin from Hazara collected by Mr. A. B. Wynne) to the 

 eastern extremity of Assam, at elevations .not exceeding 7000 to 

 8000 feet, also throughout the hilly part of Burma, the Malay 

 Peninsula, and Sumatra. M. flavigula is also* found in Southern 

 China and even in Amurland (Radde). In the Peninsula of India 

 this marten is found on the Nilgiri hills, on the Travancore ranges, 



