192 



Carxivor.v Fissipedia. 



It is of a brownish Avhite color, with the feet, the tip of the 

 tail, and a broad stripe across the forehead black. It 

 shows the distribution of dark and light colors character- 

 istic of all members of this family. 



Other unimportant species of this animal are the Si- 

 berian Polecat (]\Iustela-eversmanni). which can be distin- 

 guished by certain differences in the form of the skull 

 and its nearly white back and head : and the Tibetan Pole- 

 cat (Mustela-larvata), found in Ladok and Tibet. 



Perwitsky. 



Polecat. 



The Cape Polecat of South Africa (Itonyx-zorilla). is 

 so much like a small Skunk that it is often taken for a 

 member of the same group ; the teeth, however, are 

 smaller and more like those of the Polecat between which 

 and the Skunks it appears to be a connecting link. Both 

 in size and shape it is like the Polecat. It has a broad 

 head, small rounded ears, and a very sharp muzzle; the 

 tail is bushy, and about three quarters of the length 

 of the body which measures about twelve inches. The 

 fur is glossy black and marked with white stripes and 

 spots. The upper part of the tail is mostly white, and 

 there are always some white spots on the head and tail. 

 Its range is from the Cape of Good Hope to Senegal. 



