The Mink. 449 



long and cylindrical. Animals of this genius emit a fetid odour, 

 and are nocturnal in habit ; they are separated from the martens 

 in consequence of having one tooth less on each side of the upper 

 jaw ; their muzzle is also shorter and thicker than that of the 

 marten. The species are generally small in size, and seldom 

 climb trees like the true martens. 



There are about fifteen well determined species of this genus, 

 six of which belong to America, and the remainder to the Eastern 

 continent. 



The generic name putorious is derived from the Latin word 

 putor — a fetid smell. — Audubon d' Backman, Quadrupeds of 

 America, vol. 1, p. 250. 



PuTORius visoN. — Linn, 



The Mink, 



The fur of this animal has of late years become so highly 

 esteemed as an article of comfortable dress during the severe 

 cold of our long winters, that perhaps few of our lady readers 

 could believe herself prepared for a drive without clothing herself 

 to a greater or less extent in the rich and warm jacket once the 

 exclusive property and protection of Mr. Putorius vison. The 

 usual color of the Mink is an uniform brown or tawny, with light 

 brownish or yellow fur beneath, next the body. Some of the 

 specimens are much darker than others. There is a white spot 

 under the throat and another on the breast ; the lower jaw is also 

 white. The length of the head and body is about 13 inches, and 

 of the tail 7 inches. The body is long and slender, the head 

 small and flattish, neck long, legs short, and feet partly webbed. 

 The geographical distribution of the species appears to be co-ex- 

 tensive with the North American Continent. It is known in all 

 parts of Canada and the United States, and Sir John Richardson 

 met with it as far north as latitude 66 "^ . The word Mink is a 

 corruption of the Swedish Moenk, a name given to a closely allied 

 species in Sweden. Li fact the Mustela lutreola of Northern 

 Europe is still believed by many naturalists to be the same as the - 

 American P. vison. It affords one of the many proofs of the 

 close relationship that exists between the northern faunas of the 

 two continents. Thus the moose deer can scarcely be distin- 

 guished from the Scandinavian elk, the caribou of the barren 

 grounds [Tarandus arcticus) from the reindeer of Lapland ; the 

 pine marten of Canada is also found in Europe ; the musk ox 



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