Vol. XXVI, pp. 139'l40 May 2^913 



PROCEEDINGS 



OF THE 



BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON 



DESCRIPTION OF A NEW WEASEL FROM ALABAiMA. 

 BY ARTHUR H. HOWELL. 



Weasels are exceedingly scarce and very diflScult to obtain in 

 the Southern States. Within the past year three specimens, 

 representing both winter and summer pelage, have been 

 received from Alabama by the Biological Survey, and these 

 seem to represent an undescribed subspecies, closely related to 

 Mustela penineulae (Rhoads). 



The acquisition of this material is due to the energy of Mr. 

 Lewis S. Golsan of Autaugaville, and Mr. Bennington. King of 

 Leighton, who, at my suggestion, made special efforts to obtain 

 specimens of the Alabama Weasel. 



The new race may be characterized as follows : 



Mustela peninsulae olivacea subsp. nov. 



Type from Autaugaville, Ala. c? ad. No. 180,802, U. S. National Mu- 

 seum, Biological Survey Collection. December 22, 1912. Collected by 

 L. S. Golsan. Original No. 144 (9988x). 



Characters. — Similar to M. peninsulae, but color in winter pelage decid- 

 edly paler and more olivaceous; yellowish of feet less extensive. 



Color. — Type (winter pelage): upperparts nearest to buffy-brown (of 

 Ridgway) ; head slightly darker, about Natal brown; a small patch of 

 white on each side of face behind the eyes, and a few flecks of white on 

 top of nose; color of upperparts covering about half of front feet, tlie 

 remainder, including toes, being cream-buff; toes of hind feet tinged 

 with whitish; black tail tip about 70 mm. in length; underparts straw- 

 color, irregularly blotched with cartridge-buff. 



Summer pelage. — (Specimens from Leighton, Alabama): upperparts 

 mummy-brown; head Vandyke brown with a few white flecks between 

 the eyes; underparts cartridge-buff to colonial buff; color of upperparts 

 encroaching on the belly; toes of front feet cream color; those of hind 

 feet tinged with whitish. 



34— PROC. Biol. Soo. Wash., Vol.. XXVI, 1913. (139) 



