2G0 W. T. Blaiiford — Weasel from Yarhand. [No. 3, 



The following is a description : — 



MusTELA Stoliczkana, sp, nov. 



Mustela ad 31. vulgarem proxime accedens sed valde major, superne 

 fusco-arenaria, suhtus alhida, caudd longiore, quartern partem totius longi- 

 tudinis suhcequante, cum dorso concolore ; lahris amhohus genisque inferiori- 

 hus alhis, macula utrinqioe post angulam oris fulvd, alterdque ante ocuhom 

 utni^mque alhd, pahnis plantisqioe Gonfertim pilis indutis. Long, tota cum 

 caudd 12-2, caudce, pills inclusis, 3, cranii IS, pedis poster ioris a calcaneo 

 l'4ipoU. Angl. 



Hab. Yarkand (Stoliczka, Scully). 



Colour pale sandy brown above, the hairs rather j)aler and whitish at 

 the base, white below. Fur short, dense and soft. Tail throughout the 

 same colour as the back. There is a small white spot close to the anterior 

 angle of each eye, and a rather larger sandy brown spot a little behind the 

 gape in the lower 23art of the cheeks which are white to within a short dis- 

 tance below the eye. Upper lip white. Upper whiskers dark brown to- 

 wards the base, and of about the same length as the head. Fore feet white 

 mixed with pale brown above, hind feet only whitish at the edges ; soles 

 of all the feet thickly clad, only the toe pads being naked, and even they 

 are almost concealed by the long hair. Tail nearly cylindrical, about one- 

 third the length of the head and body. 



The whole length, measured by Dr. Scully when the animal was fresh, 

 and noted on the ticket, was 12-2 inches, the tail, of which the vertebra? are 

 preserved, now measures 3 inches including the hair at the end, or 2 '3 

 without it. The hind foot and tarsus are 1'4 inches long without the 

 claws. Fur on the back about 0*3 in. long. The weight marked by Dr. 

 Scully on the label was 5*2 oz. * 



The skull is slightly imperfect behind, the occipital plane having been 

 cut awa}^, but as the occipital crest remains, the total length can be mea- 

 sured with close approximation. The cranium shews the specimen to have 

 been just adult, the dentition being perfect, although the sagittal crest is 

 only rudimentary. The following are the dimensions : 



in. metre. 

 Length of skull (approximate) from occipital i^lane to 



alveolar margin, 1-75 -0425 



Breadth of brain case across parietal region, 0-83 '02 1 



Ditto across zygomatic arches, 0'98 "024 



Ditto behind post-orbital processes, 0*4 'Ol 



Length of suture between nasal bones, 0-28 "077 



* The weight of the common weasel, according to Pallas, Zoog. Eos. As. I. p. 98, 

 is only 2 ounces and a drachm in the largest individuals, U oz. in smaller animals, 

 chiefly females. 



