GILPIN — ON NOVA SCOTIAN MAMMALS. 9 



PuTORius , — Weasels . 

 PuTORius VisoN, ) Mink. 



PuTORius NiGEESCENS, > -Little Mink. 



PUTOEIUS CiCOGNANII, ^ 



PuTOEius RiCHARDSONii, > Ev^nine Weasels. 



PUTOEIUS NOVEBOEACENSIS, } 



MUSTELA. 



MusTELA Pennanti. — {Evxlehen) Fisher. 



Of two skins examined by me at Halifax, 1863, the following is the 

 description : — They were both in the finest condition of winter pelage. End 

 of nose black, fiice brown, but grizzled with short white hair, ears with short 

 rim of cream coloured hair. General colour of back, shoulders, flanks, light 

 brown, with an indistinct brindling of black about the neck, which runs into a 

 dorsal line and ends at tip of tail. These black shining dorsal hairs are 

 longer than the brown ones, and terminate in a beautiful pencil of hair at the 

 point of the tail. Colour beneath very much lighter than above, — a broad 

 medial line, and all the legs black, toes well covered, nails conspicuous and 

 white, a large white spot in one, a few white hairs in the other on the lower 

 belly and vent. 



These skins presented the unusual appearance of an animal very much 

 darker below than above, and were terminated by a bushy, well pointed and 

 handsome tail. Length of the larger skin 48 inches, length of tail 17 inches. 

 A mounted specimen belonging to the late Joseph Robinson, Esq,, Halifax, 

 measured from tip of nose to tip of tail 42^ inches, and tail 19 inches ; the 

 head and forehead rounded, nose sharp, ear round and close, with a light 

 border, legs robust and well furred, claws white, the thighs muscular, and 

 with the tail covered by : much longer hairs than the upper portions of the 

 body. 1 have examined many hundred skins but never have seen the 

 animal alive. 



This, the largest weasel in the world, requires a thick cover 

 for its protection. It lives continually in trees, where it pursues 

 its prey, sometimes squirrels ; at other times it is seen hunting 

 the martin. It feeds upon small birds and their eggs. 

 Descending to the ground it hunts mice and weasels, surprises 

 the ruffed grouse or alpine hare, and will not disdain frogs or 

 dead fish cast upon the lake shores. It is accused of stealing 

 the hunter's bait ; and it is the only animal that attacks with 

 impunity and devours the porcupine. Writers say it throws it 

 over and bites it upon the belly. Mr. Andrew Downs informs 

 me, that in skinning them, he often finds porcupine quills in 

 their stomachs. Though timid and always evading pursuit, when 

 brought to bay it fights desperately, and is a match for several 

 dogs. That very accurate observer, Hearne, says they are 

 2 



