586 CARNIVORA 



smaller forms distinguished by having only three premolars in each 

 jaw, by the absence of an inner cusp to the blade of the lower 

 carnassial, as well as by certain external characters. This group 

 contains a few species known as Minks, differing from the rest by 

 slight structural modifications, and especially by their semiaquatic 

 habits. They are distinguished from the Polecats, Stoats, and 

 Weasels, which constitute the remainder of the group, by the facial 

 part of the skull being narrower and more approaching in form 

 that of the Martens, by the premolar teeth (especially the anterior 

 one in the upper jaw) being larger, by the toes being partially 

 webbed, and by the absence of hair in the intervals between the 

 naked pads of the soles of the feet. The two best-known species, 

 so much alike in size, form, colour, and habits that although they 

 are widely separated geographically some zoologists question their 

 specific distinction, are M. lulreola, the Nors or Sump/otter (Marsh- 

 Otter) of Eastern Europe, and M. vison, the Mink of North America. 

 The former inhabits Finland, Poland, and the greater part of 

 Russia, though not found east of the Ural Mountains. Formerly 

 it extended westward into Central Germany, but it is now very 

 rare, if not extinct, in that country. The latter is found in places 

 which suit its habits throughout the whole of North America. 

 Another form, M. sibirica, from Eastern Asia, of which much less is 

 knoAvn, appears to connect the true Minks with the Polecats. 



For the following description, chiefly taken from the American 

 form (though almost equally applicable to that of Europe), we 

 are mainly indebted to Dr. Coues's Fur-bearing Animals of North 

 America. In size it much resembles the English Polecat, the length 

 of the head and body being usually from 15 to 18 inches, that of the 

 tail to the end of the hair about 9 inches. The female is consider- 

 ably smaller than the male. The tail is bushy, but tapering at the 

 end. The ears are small, low, rounded, and scarcely project beyond 

 the adjacent fur. The pellage consists of a dense, soft, matted under 

 fur, mixed with long, stiff, lustrous hairs on all parts of the body 

 and tail. The gloss is greatest on the upper parts; on the tail the 

 bristly hairs predominate. Northern specimens have the finest and 

 most glistening pellage ; in those from southern regions there is less 

 difference between the under and over fur, and the whole pellage 

 is coarser and harsher. In colour different specimens present a 

 considerable range of variation, but the animal is ordinarily of a rich 

 dark brown, scarcely or not paler below than on the general upper 

 parts ; but the back is usually the darkest, and the tail is nearly 

 black. The under jaw, from the chin about as far back as the angle 

 of the mouth, is generally white. In the European Mink the upper 

 lip is also white, but as this occasionally occurs in American speci- 

 mens it fails as an absolutely distinguishing character. Besides the 

 white on the chin, there are often other irregular white patches 



