1936] MAMMALS OF OEEGON 287 



from their enemies. Their curved nails enable them to climb readily, 

 even up the straight trunks of moderate-sized trees, and hide among 

 the branches, out of reach, and often out of sight, of the hounds. 

 They have a sharp little bark much like that of a very small dog. 



Their dens are usually among broken rocks or in hollow logs or 

 trees where entrance is barred to any larger animal. A favorite 

 situation is some crack or narrow opening well up the side of a 

 ledge or cliff that promises comparative safety from molestation. 



Breeding habits. Breeding females have 6 or 8 mammae, and 6 

 and 7 young have been recorded in litters. The young are born in 

 April or May, and both parents are said to take part in caring for 

 them. 



Food habits. Like other foxes, these animals are hunters of small 

 game, rodents, rabbits, game birds, and such small birds as they can 

 catch, but even more than other foxes they depend on berries and 

 fruit for a large part of their food. Berries of manzanita, juniper, 

 cascara, and blueberries form a large part of their food, as shown 

 by the droppings along the trails where they travel, but many other 

 fruits, and feathers, hair, and bones are found in their pellets. They 

 feed on mice, gophers, kangaroo rats, wood rats, ground squirrels, 

 chipmunks, brush rabbits, and often trouble the mammal collector 

 by robbing his traps of small rodents. On occasion they feast also 

 on birds, grasshoppers, beetles, grapes, figs, prunes, cherries, apples, 

 or any accessible cultivated fruits and capture poultry that is not 

 protected. 



Economic status. These foxes undoubtedly have considerable 

 value in rodent control, but this is perhaps balanced by their de- 

 struction of useful birds and small game. Their destruction of 

 poultry, and possibly of lambs is probably also balanced by their 

 value as fur-bearing animals. Fortunately trapping usually keeps 

 their numbers down to a harmless minimum and few complaints of 

 damage are received. 



Family MUSTELIDAE: Weasels, Minks, Martens, Wolverines, Otters, Skunks, and Badgers 



MUSTELA LONGICAUDA ARIZONENSIS (MEABNS) 

 MOUNTAIN WEASEL; ARIZONA WEASEL; KETCH-KETCH of the Klamath (C. H. M.) 



Putorius arizonensis Mearns, Amer. Mus. Nat. Hist. Bull. 3 : 234, 1891. 



Type. Collected 10 miles south of Flagstaff, Ariz., by E. A. Meanis, June 20, 

 1886. 



General characters. Rather small (pi 42, A), form long and slender, with 

 short legs, long tail, low, wide ears, and small bright eyes. Claws sharp and 

 moderately curved for climbing ; fur thin and harsh in brown summer coat, soft 

 and even in white winter coat ; tip of tail with brush of long stiff hairs always 

 black ; skull short and wide with short, deep audital bullae. Anal glands well 

 developed and secreting a strong musky fluid. Summer pelage, upper parts 

 light snuff brown, darkest on face and nose; lower parts broadly rich buffy 

 yellow, paler on chin and toes; tip of tail black for about 1% inches. Winter 

 pelage pure white except for black tip of tail and a slight yellowish tinge to 

 belly, and usually a buffy strain on tail and hind feet. 



Measurements. Adult male from Springerville, Ariz. : Total length, 363 mm ; 

 tail, 140 ; foot, 41 ; ear ( dry ) , 20. Of female, type : 302 ; 109 ; 32 ; 19. Weight of 

 large female 6 ounces, of male 12 ounces. 



Distribution and habitat. These weasels, with considerable local 

 variation, occupy the Rocky Mountain and Great Basin country 



