RICHARDSON'S WEASEL. 



ALLAN BROOKS. 



This weasel is best described as a large 

 edition of Bonaparte's weasel, the common 

 small weasel of the Northern States and 

 Canada. Richardson's weasel has a more 

 Northerly range than that species, replac- 

 ing it throughout the Northern Territories 

 and Northern British Columbia wherever 

 suitable conditions occur. From Bona- 

 parte's weasel (P. cicognani) it can be told 

 by its larger size, proportionately longer 

 tail, and the stronger suffusion of the yel- 



differ from others of this family, but 

 seems to be of a fearless disposition. I 

 have brought one to eat out of my hand 

 within 3 hours of making its acquaintance, 

 and this without confining it in any way. 

 This was a female, and later she became a 

 great nuisance. She generally showed up 

 a little before midday and left about 3 

 o'clock to continue her rounds. If I hap- 

 pened to be skinning birds she became 

 greatly excited, and would rush in and try 



RICHARDSON'S WEASEL. PUTORIUS RICHARDSON!. 



low tone of the lower surface in summer 

 pelage. From all forms of the long tailed 

 weasel (P. longicaudus) the smaller size 

 and much shorter tail are easy distinctions. 

 The color of the lower surfaces in sum- 

 mer is also different, being pale greenish 

 yellow in richardsoni and warm saffron 

 yellow in longicaudus. Roughly speaking, 

 any medium sized weasel found in wooded 

 localities North of latitude 54 degrees, may 

 be safely classed as Richardson's weasel. 

 In habits Richardson's weasel does not 



to drag the body from my fingers. A male 

 which used to visit my cabin in the early 

 morning never became so tame. He was a 

 fine specimen of his kind and amazingly 

 strong. He could drag a grouse several 

 times his own weight a long distance over 

 the snow. 



When carrying a small object in the mouth 

 weasels rush along at full speed, with the 

 tail erected straight up over the back. 

 The illustration is from a sketch from 

 liife. 



Hymn of the skyscraper 

 God, to Thee. — Exchange. 



268 



Nearer, My 



