4-2 Mr. G. E. H. Barrett-Hamilfcon on the 



The general size of tlie animal appears also to be larger in 

 the South, especially in those regions where the stoat 

 (/'. ermineus, Linn.) does not occur or is rare. Thus speci- 

 mens from Cairo and Malta are the largest, while those from 

 Sicil}' and Algeria, although larger than tiiose of England, 

 are not quite equal to the former in size. On the other hand, 

 we have examples of a very small subspecies from Asia 

 Minor and the Caucasus. The changes in the line of demar- 

 cation are not so clearly connected with the southern range of 

 the animal, since while specimens from Great Britain, North 

 France, North Italy, Haida in Bohemia, Burgheim in 

 Bavaria, Hungary, Malta, Cairo, Tangier, and Sardinia have 

 this line wavy and undulating, tiiose from Seville, Sicily, 

 Algeria, and the Caucasus show an almost straight line like 

 that of tiie stoat. 



The colour of the upperside does not seem to lend itself so 

 readily to variation as do tiie characters alluded to above, but 

 it is markedly lighter in the eastern subspecies M. nivalis 

 Sioh'czkanus, Blanford, of Yarkand, and a new subspecies, 

 31. n. jJiiUidus, of Turkestan and Afghanistan. 



It is of great interest to thus find parallelled in a mammal 

 the well-known increase of richness in the colour of the 

 plumage of so many birds — such as, for instance. Par us 

 cceruJeus, Linn., IJirundo rustica, Linn., Ligurinus Moris 

 (Liini.), and Fringilla coelebs, Linn. — according as they range 

 southwards. 



The following forms are recognizable : — 



(I.) Putorius nivalis typicus^ Linnaeus, Syst. Nat. ed. xii. 

 p. 69 (17GG). 



Type locality. Qpsala, Sweden. 



Distinguishing characteristic. Winter coat white. 



1 have no series of northern weasels, but it is almost certain 

 that, in addition to the above, they will be found to present 

 other distinguishing characteristics. 



Distribution. Arctic and subarctic regions of Europe. 



(IL) Putorius nivalis vulgaris, Erxleben, Syst. Reg. Animal, 

 p. 471 (1777). 



Putorius minutus*, Pomel, 'Cat. mC'tb. et descript. des Vert. Fosa. 

 d^couvertes daus le Bassiu liydrographique superieuv de la Loire, et 

 surtout dans la valine de son alHueut principal, I'Allier,' p. 51 (Paris, 

 1853). — Type locality. Paris. 



Type locality. Leipzig. 



• Should specimens from Great Britain and Western Euro])e be 

 distinguishable from thorc of Central Europe, Pomel's name will be 

 applicable to the former. 



I 



