1912] Swarth: Birds and Mammals from Vancouver Island 103 



criterion of the color characters of the species. I saw a weasel 

 at Friendly Cove, but was unable to secure it. As I was skinning 

 birds in our cabin in the late afternoon of August 8 he suddenly 

 appeared on the doorstep and stood there for a few moments, 

 but at my first movement he disappeared and was not seen again. 

 Frequently at night I heard the mice scurrying about over the 

 floor, as though something was after them, so in all probability 

 he used the house regularly as a hunting ground. 



Mustela caurina C. H. Merriam 

 Pacific Marten 



Apparently fairly common in the higher mountains, but in 

 summer at least not found in the valleys and lowlands. Four 

 specimens, all males, were secured by Despard (nos. 12471- 

 12474), one near Errington, May 25, and three in the Golden 

 Eagle and King Solomon basins, taken on July 6, 16, and 20, 

 respectively. At least one other marten pulled loose from the 

 trap and escaped at the latter locality, and one was seen in the 

 woods by Despard on July 3. He remarked that in his many 

 years of trapping it was only the second or third he had ever 

 seen at large in the woods. 



Two females were subsequently trapped by him in the hills 

 near Errington on January 10 and 21, 1911, and acquired by 

 the Museum (nos. 13002, 13003). 



The six specimens thus obtained are referable to the species 

 nun-iiia, judging from the published description (Merriam, 1890, 

 pp. 27-29). The four males are in summer pelage, and conse- 

 quently short-haired and with scanty under fur. In general 

 appearance they are uniform dull brown (about Prout brown), 

 darkening somewhat on rump, feet, and tail, where the long, 

 dark-colored hairs more effectually hide the yellowish-brown 

 under fur. The tip of the tail, of conspicuously longer hairs, is 

 black. The inner surface of the ear is very slightly grayish. 

 On the throat there is an irregular patch of pale orange-rufous, 

 disconnected spots of the same interspersed with a few white 

 hairs, extending onto the breast. 



The two winter skins are much more richly colored. They, 



