244 CALIFORNIA MAMMALS. 



Mustela pennanti pacifica Rhoads. (For Thomas Pen- 

 nant; of the Pacific Coast.) 



PACIFIC FISHER. 



Colors variable, ochraceous, chestnut, blackish, etc., lightest 

 on head and shoulders, darkest on rump, tail and legs; these 

 usually rich brownish, black or quite black; skull large, much 

 constricted interorbitally ; last upper molar large. 



Length about 1065 mm'. (42 inches) ; tail vertebrae 350 

 (14) ; hind foot 115 (4.50). 



Type locality, Lake Kichelos, Kittitass County, Washington. 



Pacific Fishers are found in the Pacific coast region from 

 northern California to Alaska. In California they are limited 

 to the high Sierras and the cool forest region north of San Fran- 

 cisco. They prefer damp or swampy forests, but these are rare 

 in California. 



The food is mice, chipmunks, squirrels, birds, hares and 

 porcupines. Like most other carnivorous mammals, Fishers will 

 eat fish when found dead on the shore, but they are not fisher- 

 men as implied by the name, which was founded on a mistake. 

 They are very good climbers and procure part of their food in 

 trees, where they catch squirrels and birds. They are princi- 

 pally nocturnal in habit. The fur in season is valuable. Two to 

 four young constitute a litter. The Fisher is also called Pen- 

 nants Marten, Pekan and Black Fox, but the first name, although 

 inappropriate, has become too firmly established to be changed. 



Mustela caurina Merriam. (Northwestern.) 



PACIFIC PINE MARTEN. 



Orange brown, tawny or blackish ; head lighter, feet darker ; 

 irregular marking-s of throat and lower parts orange red; tail 

 bushy toward the tip. 



Length about 660 mm. (26 inches) ; tail vertebrae 200 (8) ; 

 hind foot 100 (4). The female averages smaller. 



Type locality, Grays Harbor, Washington. 



