46 Dr. N. Severtzoff on the Mammals of Turkestan. 

 Mustela intermedia, M. foina, M. martes. 



e great quantities of pelts of martens, obtained by the 

 in tlie Thian-Shan and sold at the Turkestan fairs, 



In the 



Kirgies 



are found those of both M. martes and M. foina, with their 

 characteristic light-coloured mark on the throat like an in- 

 verted V. This mark is quite regular and of a reddish 

 yellow colour in M. martes, and does not reach quite to the 

 fore legs ; in M. foina the similarly shaped but more irregular 

 spot, of a white colour, reaches quite to the fore legs. On the 

 great majority of the skins for sale these characters are plainly 

 marked. 



On the other hand, there are very many specimens which 

 present intermediate characters — sometimes as regards shape, 

 sometimes in interruption of the branches or in the colour 

 of the spot on the throat, which even on the most yellow- 

 throated specimens is lighter than on the European race of 

 M. martes. Between these light-reddish-yellow and pure white- 

 coloured throat-spots, the Turkestan specimens present the 

 most complete series of intermediate degrees. I at the same 

 time noticed that the rarest of all is the pure white-throated 

 race, as also the very dark yellow colour ; but usually they 

 have light-yellow or yellowish white throats, the shape of which 

 inclines more towards M. foina than M. martes, particularly 

 in skins sold at the western fairs about Tashkent and 

 Chimkent. 



The general colour of these two species in Europe is different. 

 M. martes is of a dark reddish brown, and the under-fur is 

 light brown ; while M. foina is blackish brown, and the under- 

 fur is greyish white, so that the whole coloration is greyer. 

 In Turkestan there is no such difference in the colour ; the 

 under-fur is always light ash-colour: the long hair is sometimes 

 blacker and sometimes more reddish brown ; but both colours 

 occur Avith either light or dark-coloured throat-spots ; and their 

 difference might originate from the fading of long-kept skins. 



Therefore M. martes and M. foina in the Thian-Shan 

 mountains are much less distinct than in Europe. As to pro- 

 portions, I only can state that in the Turkestan species the 

 tail is almost twice as long as the hind legs, just as it is in 

 the two European species. But these intermediate specimens 

 I have called in my catalogue M. intermedia ; and another 

 specimen was shown to me by a Tartar, who spoke Russian, 

 under the name of the " Cashgar sable." Two of these 

 animals, in summer and winter dress, obtained by me 

 later on, certainly come nearer to the sable in the quality 

 of the fur and the short tail. Its long hairs are much finer 



