JUNE, 1896.] SYNOPSIS OF THE WEASELS OF NORTH AMERICA. 13 



terminal third of tail black; under parts, including upper lip, fore feet, 

 and distal half of hind feet, soiled white, tinned with yellowish. Winter 

 pelage probably white. 



Cranial characters. Skull similar to that of P. richardsoni, but very 

 much broader between orbits and across muzzle; postorbital processes 

 more strongly developed; constriction deeper. 



Remarks. Mr. Streator obtained two males of this new weasel at 

 Juneau in the latter part of August. He obtained also, at the same place 

 and time, three females, which in color and markings agree with the 

 males, but are hardly half as large. Their skulls are as small as those 

 of true cicognani, which they closely resemble. If they are the females 

 of alascensis, as seems probable, then this weasel exhibits as great 

 sexual difference in size as P. noveloracensis, in which respect it stands 

 unique as a member of the cicognani group. The only alternate possi- 

 bility is that cicognani and alascensis occur together at Juneau, and that 

 of the 5 specimens collected there by Streator the 2 males are alascensis 

 'and the 3 females cicognani. 



Measurements. Average of two males from Juueau, Alaska: Total 

 length, 335; tail vertebrae, 95; hind foot, 48. Average of three females 

 from same place: Total length, 270; tail vertebrae, 77; hind foot, 34. 



PUTORIUS STREATORI sp. nov. Puget Sound Weasel. 



(PL II, figs. 5, 5, 6, 60.) 



Type from Mount Vernon, Skagit Valley, Washington. No. 76646, $ ad., U. S. Nat. 

 Mus., Dept. Agric. coll. Coll. Feb. 29, 1896, by D. R. Luckey. (Original number 3 ) 



Geographic distribution. Puget Sound and coast region of Washing- 

 ton and Oregon; south at least to Yaquina Bay (Newport), Oregon. 

 Confined to a narrow strip along the coast. 



General characters. Similar to Putorius cicognani, but smaller and 

 darker, with color of upper parts encroaching on belly. 



Color. Upper parts, including upper lip ami fore and hind feet, 

 uniform dark chocolate brown, darkest on head, and encroaching far 

 on belly and throat (often meeting along middle of belly); terminal 

 third of tail black; under parts narrowly and irregularly white, faintly 

 tinged with yellowish. In iv inter pelage at low altitudes the color of 

 the upper parts is paler (almost drab brown) and the toes may become 

 white; at higher altitudes the whole animal changes to white, 1 except 

 the end of the tail, which always remains black. 



Cranial characters. Skull of male similar to that of male cicognani, 

 but smaller, slightly broader interorbitally, and with somewhat more 



'Mr. R. E. Darrell, of Port Moody, British Columbia, writes me : "I have discovered 

 that, although the weasels do not change color down near salt water, they do change to 

 the white winter coat in the mountains." Specimens in the Department collection 

 from Mount Adams, Washington, killed in February and March, are in the white 

 winter pelage. The typo and a female from the same locality (Mount Veruou, 

 Skagit Valley) are in the drab-brown winter pelage. 



