a. * NORTHERN ZOOLOGY. 
DESCRIPTION. 
Dental formula, incisors &, canines =, grinders = = 34. 
The Vison has an anterior molar less in both jaws than the American pine-martin; but the 
teeth of the two species differ in shape merely in the antipenultimate or carnivorous tooth of 
the lower jaw having only a slightly salient angle, in place of the interior very minute point, 
which exists on the lower carnivorous tooth of the martin, Size.—Less than the pine-martin, 
but, from the greater length of its neck, it measures nearly as much from the nose to the tail. 
Shape.—The head is depressed and small; the nose short, flat, and thick; the eyes small, 
and far forward ; the ears low, nearly semicircular, and covered with short fur. The neck is 
long, and the body is long and slender, and has much flexibility. The legs are’ short, and the 
toes are connected by short hairy webs that are completely concealed by the fur, which is as 
long on the feet both above and below, as on the legs. The claws are nearly straight, sharp, 
and white, and scarcely project beyond the fur. The tail is round and thick at the root, from 
whence it tapers gradually to the tip, exactly resembling the tail of an otter in form. In the 
prepared specimens, the part of the tail next the body is usually too slender, whilst towards 
the tip it is over-stuffed, causing the hairs to stand out, and giving it a bushy appearance con- 
trary to nature, 
The fur is short on the head, and is longest on the posterior part of the body and tail. It 
is of two sorts—a very dense down, and longer and stronger hairs. The tips of the latter 
form a smooth shining coat both on the body and tail, which completely conceals the down. 
The colour of the down is intermediate betwixt brown and gray, being nearly that which 
Werner denominates brocoli-brown. The colour of the surface of the fur is chocolate or 
umber-brown ; a little paler on the head and belly, but deepening on the tail and posterior 
part of the back into blackish-brown. The lower jaw is white, with a narrow brown mark at 
the apex; and there are occasionally some white markings on the throat, but they are not - 
constant either in number or size. The whiskers are of the same colour with the fur, and are 
shorter than the head, but remarkably strong. There are two brown-coloured glands situated 
in the hollow between the tuberosities of the ischium and the tail, which have each a small 
cavity capable of containing a garden pea, and lined by a white, wrinkled membrane. The 
fluid they secrete is very fetid. 
w 
DIMENSIONS. 
Inches. Lines, : Fathent Lines. 
Length of head and body - s 17 0 Distance from centre of orbit to end of nose 1 1) 
x tail, including fur , 8 6 on end of nose to auditory opening 2 oS 
3 head! : eye” ’ 3 3 Breadth between the ears a he 2 0. 
