NORTH AMERICAN FAUNA 66 



County: Jefferson, 2. Kent County: Chestertown, 2; Millington (4 

 miles NE), 1. Montgomery County: Cabin John, 1. Prince Gem^ges 

 County: Bowie, 1; Branchville, 1; Laurel, 39; Patuxent Research 

 Center, 4. Somerset County: Cokesbury, 4; Marumsco, 3; Rehoboth 

 (near), 2; Westover, 2; Whitehaven (across Wicomico River from), 

 3. Talbot County: St. Michaels, 1. 'Wicomico County : Bivalve (near), 

 1 ; Whitehaven, 1. Worcester County : Assateague Island, 1 ; Pocomoke 

 City (vicinity) , 17. District of Columbia: 1. 



Other records and reports. — Baltimore County: Bare Hills-Lake 

 Roland area (Bures, 1948, p. 66) ; Loch Raven (Kolb, 1938) ; Pa- 

 tapsco State Park (Hampe, 1939, p. 5). Garrett County: Blooming 

 Rose (Browing, 1928, p. 26) ; Cranesville Pine Swamp (Mansueti, 

 1958, p. 83). Montgo^nery County : Burtonsville (Herman et al., 1957, 

 p. 113-114) ; Plmnmers Island (Groldman and Jackson, 1939, p. 132). 

 Wicomico County: Salisbury, a few miles east (Kilham and Herman 

 1955, p. 499). 



Family MUSTELIDAE (weasels, skunks, otters, etc.) 



ERMINE 



Mustela erminea cicognanii Bonaparte 



Mu^tela cigognanii [sic~\ Bonaparte, Charlesworth's Mag. Nat. Hist., 

 2:37, 1838. 



Type locality. — Eastern United States. 



General distribution. — Southeastern Ontario, southern Quebec, and Maine, 

 south through extreme northeastern Ohio and Pennsylvania into Maryland. 



Distribution in Maryland. — Probably very rare in the Allegheny 

 Mountain, Kidge and Valley, and Piedmont sections, and absent from 

 the Western Shore and Eastern Shore sections. The species is most 

 numerous in the coniferous forests of the northern portion of its range, 

 but even in the north it is uncommon in coastal regions and con- 

 sequently it probably does not occur in Maryland's coastal plain. It 

 has been reported from the State only once. 



Distinguishing characteristics. — Teeth 3/3, 1/1, 3/3, 1/2, = 34; 

 size medium; body long and slender; legs short; tail moderately short, 

 averaging about 35 percent of head and body length, well haired and 

 slightly bushy, tipped with black above and below; coloration of upper 

 parts in summer dark brown extending to the outer parts of the legs 

 and feet; color of underparts whitish, usually tinged with yellow; 

 winter coloration white except for tip of tail which remains black. 



This species resembles the long-tailed weasel {Mustela frenata) in 

 general appearance and in coloration, but is considerably smaller, and 

 shorter tailed. "V^Hien using size as a criterion in separating the two 

 species, it is necessary to take into account the sex of the individual. 



