GILPIX — ON THE MAMMALIA OF NOVA SCOTIA. 123 



PiitGrius cocognanii^ Bonaparte, Baird, — Small Weasel, 



Putorius richardsonii, Bonaparte, Baird, — Ermineu^ Kich- 

 ardson. 



Putorius novehoracencis., Dekay, Baird, — White Weasel. 



Putorius vison, Richardson, Baird, — Mink. 



Putorius nigresceiis, Audubon, Baird, — little Mink. 



Lutra canadensis^ Sabine, Richardson, — Otter. 



Mephitis mephitica, Shaw, 1792, Baird, — Americana, Richard- 

 son, — Sknuk. 



Procyon lotor, Richardson, Baird, — Raccoon, 



JJrsus americanus , Pallas, Richardson, Baird, — Bear. 



Of these fifteen species, we find the Loiipcervier, a truly boreal lynx, 

 with its congener the wild cat, a more southern form, and no doubt of 

 much later appearance ; the wolf in his white or grey variety, endeavour- 

 ing in vain to re-habit the Province, During the last sixty or seventy 

 years they have constantly appeared, singly and in pairs, at each 

 extremity of the Province, and then have been unheard of for years. 

 The fox, very numerous, of great beauty and lustre of fur, but subject to 

 nigritism and varying according to its intensity, from the red, to the 

 cross, the silver grey, and black. The magnificent tree weasel, the 

 fisher, its congener, the American marten, only lately separated from the 

 pine marten of Europe, and still more recently classed as a variety of the 

 Russian sable, (M. zabellina.) The ermine weasels, (though the common 

 short tailed weasel common in New England is here unknown), the 

 American otter, now separated from the European species, the skunk 

 and raccoon both later in their arrival (almost during our own times), 

 and of a southern form, and the truly boreal form of the American black 

 bear, perhaps our earliest carnivora, and destined to be the latest. His 

 vegetable diet of berries and roots, and his long winter sleep mark him 

 the inhabitant of sterile and frozen lands. 



RODENTIA. 



Sciurms hudsonius, Pallas, Richardson, — Red Squirrel. 



Pteromys hudsonius, Gmelin, Baird, — Sahrinus, Richardson, — 

 Flying Squirrel. 



Tamias striafus, Linn. Baird, — Systeri, Richardson, — Ground 

 Squirrel. 



Arctomys monax, Linn., Baird, Richardson, — Wood Chuck. 



Castor canadensis, Kuhl, Baird, Richardson, — American Beaver. 



Jaculus hudsonius Zimm., Baird, — M. labt^adorius, Richard- 

 son, — Jumping Mouse. 



