MAMMALS OF PENNSYLVANIA AND NEW JERSEY. 1 79 



young at a litter. The strong, musky odor or stench of the mink and weasel 

 is not so noticeable in the marten. 



Description of species. — The marten is nearly i J^ times the size of a mink, 

 with a long, bushy tail, somewhat less than half the length of head and body. 

 Its head and ears are larger in proportion to the size of body than in the 

 mink, and it is in some degree a bicolored animal like the weasel. Above, it 

 is a light, rich brown, slightly paler on the underparts ; the throat or breast 

 with a lightj tawny or whitish patch, becoming orange in darker, richly col- 

 ored specimens. A male Pennsylvania specimen from Lopez, Sullivan Co., 

 in winter pelage is brownish buff on sides, darkening on back, tail and legs to 

 blackish brown, the end of feet and tail being sooty. The broad median 

 stripe of breast and belly is browner than sides ; the irregular throat and 

 breast patch is ochraceous ; the top and lower head are Isabella color, light- 

 ening to ash on side of head and inside ears. Its length is 22 inches, tail 

 vertebrae, 7 inches ; hind foot, 3 inches.* 



Pennant's Marten ; Fisher, Pekan. Mustela pennanti Erxleben. 



1777. [_Musfe/a] pennanti Erxleben, Systema Regni Animal, vol. i, p. 470. 



Type locality. — Eastern Canada. 



Faunal'distribution. — Hudsonian, Canadian and transition" zones ; Atlantic 

 Ocean to Cascade Mountains. 



Distribution in Pa. and N. J. — While I have discovered no other record 

 of this animal in N. J., either historical or otherwise than the one given by 

 Dr. Abbott, it undoubtedly occurred in former days in the northern sections 

 of the state. Its distribution in Pa. was at one time almost universal, except 

 in the southern lowlands. Never numerous like the marten, it has now be- 

 come almost extinct. A few remain in the higher mountains. 



Records in Pa. — In 1897 I wrote (Proc. Acad. N. Sci., Phila., pp. 218, 

 219) — "The Fisher or Black Cat has for many years been practically extinct 

 in Pennsylvania. Such at least is the verdict of nearly every hunter with 

 whom I have communicated ; and many men of middle age, who have had 

 20 years experience in mountaineering, never saw the track of one where 

 they were formerly numerous, while many other trappers had not even heard 

 of such an animal." 



Cameron Co. — " Mr. Larrabee of Emporium, Cameron Co., declares there 

 are yet a few in Shippen township. The tracks of one were seen and traps 

 set to catch it during the winter of i89S-'96." — Rhoads, 1897. 



Clinton Co. — " A fisher-fox was' seen near Mill Hall a year ago." — Pfoutz, 

 1901. 



* See Rhoads, Proc, Acad. Nat. Sci., Fhila., 1902, for a Synopsis of the American Martens 



