382 RESOURCES OF CALIFORNIA. 



couple of inches long, yellowish in color, with brown tips. On 

 the lower part of the sides the spines are replaced by long, 

 stiff bristles. 



The mountain cat, or striped bassaris (JBassaris astuta) is 

 abundant along the western base of the Sierra Nevada, be- 

 tween latitudes 36 and 39. The body is about the size of 

 that of the domestic cat, but the nose is very long and sharp, 

 and the tail very long and large. The color of the animal is 

 dark gray, with rings of black on the tail. The miners call 

 it the " mountain cat," and frequently tame it. It is a favor- 

 ite pet with them, becomes very playful and familiar, and is 

 far more affectionate than the common cat, which it might re- 

 place, for it is very good at catching mice. 



The pine-marten (Mustela Americana) is found in Califor- 

 nia, but is rare. 



The yellow-cheeked weazel (Putorius xanthogenys) is found 

 along the coast, in the vicinity of the Bay of San Francisco. 



The common mink (Putorius vison) has a skin as valuable 

 as that of the beaver ; the fur is of a dark, brownish chestnut 

 color, with a white spot on the end of the chin. 



California has two skunks, (Mephitis occidentalis and Me- 

 phitis bicolor) very common animals. The Mephitis bicolor, 

 or little striped skunk, is chiefly found south of latitude 39 ; 

 the other in the northern and central parts of the State. The 

 colors of both are black and white. 



305. /Squirrels. The Californian gray squirrel, (Sciurm 

 fossor) the most beautiful and one of the largest of the squirrel 

 genus, inhabits all the pine forests of the State. Its color on 

 the back is a finely-grizzled bluish gray, and white beneath. 

 At the base of the ear is a little woolly tuft, of a chestnut color. 

 The sides of the feet are covered with hair in the winter, but are 

 bare in the summer ; the body is more slender and delicate in 

 shape than that of the Atlantic gray squirrel. It sometimes 

 grows to be twelve inches long in the head and body, and fifteen 

 inches long in the tail, making the entire length twenty-seven 



