many times their size. The Marten and Wolverene are also weasels, 

 though of larger size than the species to which the term is restricted in 

 popular parlance. Of the four species of weasel found in Colorado, three 

 have a white winter coat and a brown summer coat, the fourth, the Black- 

 footed Ferret (Mustela nigripes), keeps its yellowish brown coat- the year 

 round. The first three species are the Long-tailed Weasel, Mustela longi- 

 cauda, Mountain Weasel, Mustela arizonensis, and the Dwarf Weasel, 

 Mustela streatori leptus, the first-named being the largest, and an inhabi- 

 tant of the plains, while the other two live in the foothills and mountains. 

 While the Ferret is 19 to 20 inches long the Dwarf Weasel is about 9^ 

 inches in length. 



The Ferret was discovered by Audubon and described by him, ana 

 then no additional specimens were seen by naturalists for so many years 

 that it came to be regarded almost as a myth. It is, however, pretty well 

 distributed over the plains region, though nowhere common, and in Colo- 

 rado occurs in South Park, and possibly in our other high parks. It is 

 addicted to living about the prairie dog towns, where it preys on the in- 

 habitants. 



Weasels live on mice, chipmunks, ground and tree squirrels, and birds 

 when they can catch them. Once when I was riding up a steep mountain 

 trail a chipmunk came running down the hill before me and turned up 

 the trail, squealing all the time as if in mortal terror, for which there 

 seemed ample reason when a moment later a weasel came along, nose to 

 the ground, following the chipmunk's trail. It stopped a second or two 

 to look at me, then went on, and I doubt not that soon a chipmunk came 

 to an untimely end. 



Weasels have rather large families, six or eight in a litter, once a 

 year, and no doubt the parents have to rustle hard to provide food for the 

 hungry mouths. They destroy many mice, and no doubt as a rule they 

 are beneficial rather than otherwise. 



All weasels are provided with scent bags near the rectum and, though 

 small, if one is cut open the odor is very penetrating and almost over- 

 powering. 



MINK. 



Minks are weasels leading a semiaquatic life, and are somewhat larger 

 than the Black-footed Ferret, being about two feet long. Their brown fur 

 has always been in demand, and brings a good price; it is not only a 

 handsome fur, but a very durable one, wearing well for many years. Mink 

 are probably found along all the streams which contain food for them, 

 both on the plains and in the mountains. Fish are eaten, as well as mice, 

 squirrels and birds. They are not too particular, so long as it is flesh 

 and they capture it themselves, or if they can steal it from the captor, as 

 they will fish if left where it is accessible. Occasionally a Mink makes 

 a raid on a poultry yard with destructive results. The home is in a hole 

 near the water, and doubtless muskrat burrows are often occupied. 



SKUNKS. 



These malodorous animals are represented in Colorado by species be- 

 longing to two different genera, the large skunks with white stripes on 

 the back, belonging to the genus Mephitis, and the smaller spotted skunks 

 belonging to the genus Spilogale. There are two species of the large 

 skunks in Colorado, the Northern Plains Skunk (Mephitis hudsonica), and 

 the Long-tailed Texas Skunk (Mephitis mesomelas varians). The latter is 

 probably the most widely distributed of the two, but skunks are found all 

 over the state, going to at least 10,000 feet, at which altitude in Gunnison 

 county I once had the pleasure of inhaling the perfume of one in March 



7 



