Variation of the Weasel. 437 



tlie Scanian weasels should, then, belong to the subspecies 

 ^^ J'utoriiis iiivalis vnhjaris,^^ but the weasels inhabitin;^ other 

 parts of Sweden should bo termed " P. n. typicus.^'' 



The subject, however, is not so simple. I have before 

 me now a male specimen killed on the KJth of January this 

 year in the neif^hbourhood of Jtinkopin:,^ in the province of 

 Smtilanil. This is brown above and white beneath. The 

 line of demarcation between the colours is well defined, but 

 wavy. The white colour extends over the upper lips nearly 

 to the ears, but behind the anpjle of the nioutii is a brown 

 spot in the white. The inner side of the legs is white, the 

 outer side brown. The hind feet have only a few white hairs 

 at the ti|) of the toes, but the fore feet have white toes. The 

 white colour of the belly does not reach the anus. On the 

 flaiiks some brown-coloured spots are nearly detached and 

 surrounded by white. Length of head and body 210 mm., 

 of tail bb^ of hind fout (without claws) 30 mm. I think this 

 S|)ecimen should be regarded as an exam|)le of '' Puiorius 

 nivalis vulgaris.^^ I remember also very distinctly that some 

 years ago I saw a weasel in brown winter-coat killed still 

 further north, at a place called Vallsnas, not far from the 

 town of Linkoj)ing, in the province of Ostergotland. In 

 rej)ly to a question on this subject, Dr. A. Stuxberg in- 

 forms me that the Museum of Gothenburg possesses not 

 less than three specimens of weasel with brown winter-coat, 

 namely: (1) a specimen from Miilnlycke, a little south of 

 Gotheiiburg, killed 15th Jan., 1809; (2) a specimen from 

 Hemsjij in Vestergotland, near the town of Alingsas, killed 

 5th Feb., 1809; and (3) a s[)ccimen from the neighbourhood 

 of Gotheidjurg, killed 16th March, 18!)7. From all these 

 statements the conclusion can be drawn that the " vuhjnris " 

 form occurs together with the " typicus " form in the provinces 

 of Oster- and Vestcrgotland and Smaland, so far as the 

 colour of the winter-coat is concerned. This becomes more 

 interesting because it forms a parallel to the occurrence of 

 the " bluish-grey " (" canescens," Nilsson) and the white 

 variety of the northern hare. In Scania the ^'canescens^^ 

 variety dominates. In Smaland, Oster- and Vestcrgotland 

 both forms occur mixed, but in Upland and the northern 

 provinces, on the other hand, the white variety dominates. 

 The occurrence also of the brown weasel and the " blue " 

 hare seems to correspond to the time during which the 

 ground is covered with snow. In Scania where the ground 

 is covered with snow only 45—48 days each winter, the 

 white forms are absent or extremely scarce, and it is at 

 least questionable whether a white coat would be of pro- 



