PUTORITJS. 169 



pale brown with a yellow or orange tinge. Forehead rather darker 

 than the back ; sides of the head paler brown ; both lips, with the 

 chin and the fore feet above, white, and frequently the inside sur- 

 face of all the limbs and a small portion of the hind feet. Indistinct 

 brown spots are sometimes found on the breast and abdomen. 



Dimensions. The only measurements are from skins. Head and 

 body 9| to 11| inches, tail without hair 5 to 5|, with hair about 

 6|, hind foot to calcaneum 1|. A skull from Hodgson's collection 

 measures 1-82 in basal length, and 1 in breadth; another 1-7 

 by 0'97 ; whilst one from Kumaon is much smaller, only 1*5 by 

 0-82. The latter may be a female. 



Distribution. Within our area this species has been obtained 

 from the country on the northern frontier of Sikhiin by Hodgson 

 and Mandelli, from Kumaon by Strachey, and from G-ilgit by 

 Scully, and it probably occurs throughout the higher Himalayas 

 and Tibet. The type of P. alpinus was from the Altai, and a 

 species, said to be the same, was found in Amurland by Eadde. 



Habits. The typical P. alpinus is said by Gebler to have young 

 in May, the number not exceeding five. The pairing-season is 

 in February. 



The typical skins and skulls of P. temon agree well with G-ebler's 

 description of P. alpinus, and with specimens from the Altai in the 

 British Museum, but the individual from Kumaon, although similar 

 in colour, is remarkably small, agreeing, however, in its dimensions 

 with those given by Eadde (Eeis. Siid. Ost-Sib. i, p. 50) for the 

 species. It is quite possible that the smaller individuals may be 

 females. 



85. Putorius cathia. The yellow-lellied Weasel. 



Mustek (Putorius) kathiah, Hodgson, J. A. S. B. iv, p. 702 ; Hors- 



fidd, Cat. p. 102 ; Jerdon, Mam, p. 84. 

 Mustek auriventer v. cathia, Hodgs. J. A. S. B. x, p. 909, xi, p. 280. 



Kathia nyal, Nepal. 



Fig. 42. Putorius cathia. (From Hodgson's drawings.) 

 Tail about half the leDgth of the head and body, not bushy. 



